The post-harvest fruit and vegetable loss in Ethiopia is estimated to reach 40 %. In this research, the authors assessed the effectiveness of a zero-energy cooling chamber (ZECC) in prolonging the shelf life of kale and tomatoes in two locations: Addis Ababa and Woliso. The ZECCs were constructed using bricks and sand with dimensions of 1.5 m wide and 2.15 m long. The experiment involved five treatments: two storage devices with two precooling treatments in ZECC and room storage as a control. Following a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications, 500 g of kale and 1 kg of tomatoes were stored in each device. Key parameters, including physiological loss of weight (PLW), wilting index, visual quality, and total soluble solids (TSS), were monitored, alongside environmental factors such as temperature and relative humidity (RH). The ZECC significantly reduced maximum temperature (up to 6.82°C) and increased RH (up to 40%) compared to room storage, resulting in a shelf-life extension of kale by 2 days and tomatoes by 10 days. These effects were more pronounced in Woliso, a warmer location. Irrespective of storage devices and precooling treatments, in Addis Ababa, ZECC extended the shelf life of tomatoes from 16 to 24 days (50%) and kale from 1.5 to 3.5 days (133.3%). In Woliso, tomatoes’ shelf life increased by 83.3% (from 12 to 22 days), while kale’s shelf life rose from 1 day to 2.5 days (150%). In addition, the breakeven analysis showed that ZECC generated additional income of USD 158 and USD 226 from tomato storage in Addis Ababa and Woliso, respectively, and USD 241 and USD 204 from kale storage. The cost recovery period for ZECC (USD 439) was shorter in Woliso (1.9 years) than in Addis Ababa (2.8 years) for tomatoes, and 1.8 years in Addis Ababa versus 2.2 years in Woliso for kale. The result from our study demonstrates that ZECC is a practical and affordable method to reduce postharvest losses, extend shelf life, and enhance income for vegetable growers, offering potential benefits for food security in Ethiopia and similar settings. Key words: Zero energy cooling chamber, shelf life, Ethiopia, kale, tomato

The study was conducted at New Leaf Dynamic Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Pune, Maharashtra, India, during the 2024 monsoon season to evaluate the effectiveness of cold storage (4°C and 95% RH) in extending the shelf life and maintaining the quality of African marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) flowers. Freshly harvested, uniform marigold blooms were collected from a farmer’s field in Belle Village and subjected to two treatments: T₁ storage at ambient room conditions, and T₂ storage in a cold room. Parameters such as flower weight, shrivelling, rotting percentage, appearance, colour, and overall storage-life were recorded daily and analyzed using a Factorial completely randomized design (FCRD) with three replications. Results revealed that marigold flowers stored under cold conditions (T₂) maintained their visual freshness, colour brightness, and physical firmness for a longer duration compared to those kept at room temperature (T₁). Weight loss, shrivelling, and rotting were negligible in cold-stored flowers even after 8 days, whereas flowers stored at ambient conditions showed severe deterioration, reaching 100% shrivelling and 60.2% rotting by the eighth day. The overall storage-life was extended to 8 days under cold storage, with an additional post-storage life of 2 days at room temperature, compared to only 3 days for flowers kept under ambient conditions. The findings confirm that cold storage significantly retards metabolic and microbial activities, reducing respiration, transpiration, and ethylene production, thereby preserving the visual appeal and marketability of marigold flowers. Hence, maintaining marigolds at 4°C and 95% relative humidity is an effective, low-cost postharvest strategy to minimize losses, enhance flower quality, and ensure better shelf-life for commercial distribution.

Background People with intellectual disability and blindness tend to be withdrawn and sedentary and fail to engage in activity. Objective This study assessed a technology system to support five of these people in gathering boxes with objects from a storage room and bringing them to different destination rooms. Methods The technology system involved barcodes, barcode readers, a smartphone, and mini speakers. At the start of a session, the system provided the participants with instructions to take a box from the storage room. Fifteen boxes marked with specific barcodes were available. The system (a) identified the box taken through barcode readers, (b) provided instructions (spatial cues) to guide the participants to the right destination room, and finally (c) delivered preferred stimulation. The same process was repeated for the following boxes. Results During baseline sessions without the system, the mean frequency of boxes managed successfully (collected, transported, and deposited independently) was zero or virtually zero. During the intervention sessions with the system, the participants’ mean frequency of boxes managed successfully increased to between nearly 12.5 and over 14 per session. Conclusions These findings suggest that the technology system might be a valid support for people like the participants of this study.

Drosophila hydei (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is an emerging pest within sweetpotato storage facilities in North Carolina because of their ability to mechanically transmit Ceratocystis fimbriata, a fungal pathogen of sweetpotato roots. Information about D. hydei population dynamics in sweetpotato storage facilities is limited. To address this knowledge gap, this study conducted laboratory and field behavioral choice experiments to assess the most attractive bait for pest monitoring. Laboratory reared flies were placed in arenas containing 2 liter plastic bottle traps each baited with a single treatment: (i) banana and yeast mixture, (ii) fermented sugar water with yeast, (iii) apple cider vinegar, and (iv) water control. Flies captured in each bait treatment were counted after 24 h. The most effective bait was the banana yeast mixture. Field bait assays included the same baits distributed across 20 10 × 15 m storage rooms at two different times spaced 7 d apart (N = 40 replications per treatment). Sticky cards were placed in each room to estimate Drosophila spp. abundance and total arthropod diversity. Field bait experiments showed that apple cider vinegar was a preferred bait for D. hydei and D. funebris, which were the two most common species in sweetpotato storage facilities. In contrast to a previous study of Drosophila spp. in sweetpotato storage, our study found that D. funebris was the most common species. Further research will be necessary to assess D. funebris and its impact on sweetpotatoes. Determining the optimal bait will enable synthesis of chemical baits for population monitoring in sweetpotato storage facilities.

High levels of air pollution by micromycetes can damage valuable works of art, museum exhibits, and cause various fungal diseases in humans. Currently, the study of the air mycobiota of various cultural centers and the search for effective, environmentally friendly biological control measures is very relevant. We studied the air mycobiota of the YSU History Museum, determined the degree of air pollution, and evaluated the antifungal activity of various essential oils against some opportunistic fungi. Studies of the air mycobiota were carried out with a PU-1B aspirator apparatus, which states the number of colony-forming units (CFU) in 1 m3 of air. The antifungal activity of essential oils of mint (Mentha piperata L.) and clove (Syzygium aromatum L.) against microscopic fungi Aspergillus niger, Cladosporium herbarum, Penicillium cyclopium was assessed using the disk diffusion method. As a result of the studies, 22 species of micromycetes belonging to the Mucoromycota (1 species), Ascomycota (19), Basidiomycota (2) divisions were identified, most of which are opportunistic species and can cause allergic and fungal diseases. It was found that the air pollution level in the storage room (1392 CFU/m³) and the corridor (604 CFU/m³) exceeded the permissible limit (500 CFU/m³). Clove essential oil showed the highest antifungal effect on the Penicillium cyclopium (inhibition zone diameter: 55 mm), and mint essential oil showed the highest antifungal effect on the Cladosporium herbarum (37 mm). The antifungal effect of clove essential oil against Penicillium cyclopium, Cladosporium herbarum, and Aspergillus niger was 3.5, 1.4, and 1.2 times higher, respectively, than that of mint essential oil. Thus, essential oils of Mentha piperata and Syzygium aromatum possessing antifungal activity and being safe for human health, can be used as natural methods for cleaning the air of various rooms.

Monitoring systems are essential in many fields, such as food production, storage, and supply, to collect information about applications or their environments to enable decision-making. However, these systems generate massive amounts of data that require substantial processing. To improve data analysis efficiency and reduce data collectors’ energy demand, adaptive monitoring is a promising approach to reduce the gathered data while ensuring the monitoring of critical events. Adaptive monitoring is a system’s ability to adjust its monitoring activity during runtime in response to internal and external changes. This work investigates the application of adaptive monitoring—especially, the adaptation of the sensor sampling rate—in dynamic and unstable environments. This work evaluates 11 distinct approaches, based on threshold determination, statistical analysis techniques, and optimization methods, encompassing 33 customized implementations, regarding their data reduction extent and identification of critical events. Furthermore, analyses of Shannon’s entropy and the oscillation behavior allow for estimating the efficiency of the adaptation algorithms. The results demonstrate the applicability of adaptive monitoring in food storage environments, such as cold storage rooms and transportation containers, but also reveal differences in the approaches’ performance. Generally, some approaches achieve high observation accuracies while significantly reducing the data collected by adapting efficiently.

A novel indirect calorimeter chamber system has been built at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (IL, USA). The unit consists of 6 respiration-metabolism chambers where temperature and humidity are controlled, gas analysis units, a data management unit, a mechanical room, and an air-conditioned feed storage room. The chambers are airtight and each chamber has the capacity to hold more than 1 pig depending on size. Using the system, concentrations of digestible energy, metabolizable energy, and net energy, and digestibility and retention of nutrients can be determined in diets fed to pigs on an ad libitum basis. A recovery test was performed using propane combustion. The recovery rate of oxygen ranged from 86.7 to 108.7% with a mean of 99.0% and a coefficient of variation of 6.27%. The recovery rate of carbon dioxide ranged from 100.0 to 101.0% with a mean of 100.6% and a coefficient of variation of 0.29%. In summary, a novel calorimeter unit allows for pigs to be group-housed and given ad libitum access to feed and water. This system is believed to be representative of commercial settings, and therefore, net energy can be determined in diets fed to pigs under conditions similar to those used in commercial production.

A baseline survey on biosecurity measurement with some background parameters of dairy farms was conducted at Gazipur sadar, Sreepur, Kapasia and Kaligonj upazilla of Gazipur district from January to June 2022. "Data were collected using a structured questionnaire through personal visits to 115 dairy farms, with assistance from a research assistant." The farm size varied from 10 to 150 dairy cattle, the majority of the farms contained between 15 to 40 dairy cattle. "Most (87.83%) of the farmers were male, while 12.17% were female." The farmers had a wide range of educational backgrounds from primary to higher secondary or above. Majority of the farmers were engaged in agriculture (24.35%) and business (31.30%). Almost all of the farmers (100%) heard about biosecurity from different sources. The majority (35.66%) of the farmers had a slight or moderate idea about biosecurity. The highest 70% of farms are located near the road and 65% of farms are located near the market in Gazipur sadar upazilla and the lowest 35% of farms are located near to another animal farms in Sreepur upazilla. The highest 50% of farms had no fencing in Kaligonj upazilla and the lowest 18% of farms had rodent-proof and wild bird-proof facilities in Kapasia upazilla. The majority (75%) of the farms did not have a separate store room in Sreepur and Kapasia upazilla. The majority of the farms had absence of a ‘no admittance’ sign, gatekeeper, foot bath at the farm gate, hand washing facilities at shed entry, use of protective/dedicated clothing and no visitor registrar maintained. The highest 76% of the farmers followed the scientific/hygienic way of milking and milk handling, and 68% followed the scientific/hygienic way of storage and transportation of milk in Sreepur upazilla. The results of this study provided a clear picture of the level of biosecurity compliance among the dairy farms of Gazipur district which will be useful for farmers and researchers to improve the biosecurity measurement that is an issue of cattle health, animal welfare, and high productivity to sustainable dairy production. Bang. J. Livs. Res. Vol. 30 (1&2), 2023: P. 11-22

Background:Large-scale gut microbiome studies rely on fecal sample storage prior to batch sample preparation, sequencing, and analysis. Effects of storage methods have largely been studied using samples from healthy participants, where the microbial communities and the metabolic environment are in concordance. In diseased states, dysbiosis is more prone to environmental perturbation, which causes variable shifts in the communities. Cardiovascular diseases are associated with gut dysbiosis, but the effect of storage methods on the qualitative and quantitative aspects of dysbiosis is unknown. Thus, we examined the effects of 3 sample storage conditions on the fecal samples of patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD), a form of cardiovascular disease, and non-PAD controls.Methods and Results:This is a cross-sectional study of fecal samples collected from adults with PAD and non-PAD controls. All participants (12 non-PAD and 18 PAD) followed the home fecal sample collection protocol. Each sample was immediately frozen (IF), placed in modified Cary-Blair (CB), and stored in an OMNIgene•Gut vial. All samples were subjected to 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of the hypervariable V4 region. A subset of glycerol stocks from IF and CB samples was thawed and cultured to compare revivification. We found significant differences in microbial composition and community structure between non-PAD and PAD groups based on storage conditions. Although we did not see the effect of an interaction term (disease group*storage condition) at the community level, we observed storage condition-specific differential abundance of genera in the PAD compared to the non-PAD group. The high number of differentially variable taxa in the PAD group samples further emphasize the need for standardizing storage conditions. The subset of samples stored in CB had less revivification potential than IF samples under both anaerobic and aerobic processing conditions.Conclusions:Sample storage conditions and room temperature storage time differentially affect the microbial communities of fecal samples and revivification of glycerol stocks from non-PAD and PAD groups. The effects of storage conditions can bias microbiome-related disease biomarker discovery. Careful consideration should be given to sample storage conditions when analyzing fecal samples from diseased populations and when combining data from cohorts with samples stored in different conditions.

Dry seed longevity varies considerably among species, but little is known about its relation with the climate and the molecular mechanisms that determine seed lifespan. Salicaceae species, with more than 620 species worldwide, are known to produce short-lived seeds, making them particularly good models to explore ageing processes in the glassy state rather than under accelerated ageing. We compared seed lifespan for 13 species of Salix and Populus across a broad geographical range (up to 2200 m a.s.l.). High-quality seeds were obtained by optimizing collection time (just before capsule dehiscence) and post-harvest handling (i.e., the use of negative pressure to remove seed hairs). At optimal moisture contents (MCs) between 6 and 9%, most species seeds demonstrated minimal decreases in viability after storage at −20 °C or in liquid nitrogen for 3 years. Dry room (15% RH, 15 °C) storage differentiated between species’ seed lifespans (P50s) of c. 150 to >1200 d. Unlike Salix, Populus species from warm wet environments tended to produce longer-lived seeds in dry storage. Based on transcriptome data on Populus davidiana (longer-lived) and Populus euphratica (shorter-lived), we revealed high correlations between late seed maturation genes, such as 60% of HSP and 67% of LEA genes showed higher expression in P. davidiana seeds, while 70% of WRKY transcription factors showed significantly higher expression in P. euphratica seeds. For these two species, genes related to oxidative stress might be the most important contributor to different seed longevity in the dry glassy state.

Abstract In 2020, the new owners of a house located on a farm in Huta Zaborowska (Mazowieckie Province, Poland) noticed drawings and inscriptions in a wooden wardrobe they found in a storage room. The markings indicated that it may have been a wartime hiding place, most likely for a Jewish child or teenager. In 2022, the wardrobe was presented to the public for the first time as part of the exhibition Hideouts: The Architecture of Survival (Zachęta, Poland). This article presents the authors’ joint research on this object. Additionally they try to explain how this object embodies “awkwardness” and how art history, historical research, and background might be helpful in deciphering the drawings in the wardrobe. Furthermore, the authors show the potential of art history-related research and the uses of an interdisciplinary toolbox when dealing with such objects.

The use of BRIMEN (BRI Document Management System) in digital document processing operations during internship activities at the Medan Regional Office of PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk. is the main focus of this article. The objective of this study is to understand how the BRIMEN system contributes to the storage, retrieval, and classification of documents, particularly in relation to credit document management. This system was introduced to address common issues found in manual archiving, such as limited storage space, difficulties in document retrieval, and the risk of errors in preserving clients’ physical records. The research employed a descriptive qualitative approach through direct observation and active participation in daily workflows. The findings indicate that BRIMEN significantly improves operational efficiency by providing a more systematic and secure digitalization procedure for banking documents. The system not only reduces the risk of loss or damage to physical archives but also accelerates the process of data retrieval when required by work units. Through its classification and tracking features, BRIMEN ensures better consistency between digital data and physical documents, although several technical challenges remain, such as restricted access to storage rooms and difficulties in scanning older or non-standard documents. Overall, the results highlight the importance of implementing a well-structured digital document management system to support the smooth operation of modern banking institutions. BRIMEN represents a tangible step in BRI’s digital transformation, strengthening data security while simultaneously improving the quality of credit services delivered to customers. With continuous improvement, this system has the potential to serve as a model for digital document management that can be more widely adopted across Indonesia’s banking sector.

This community service project aims to redesign and expand Masjid Jami’ An-Nur located in Papan Mas Housing, Setia Mekar Village, by integrating sustainable architectural principles. The mosque faces issues of limited prayer space and supporting facilities, insufficient natural ventilation and lighting, and the absence of dedicated rooms for the Quranic Education Center (TPQ) and mosque administrators. This program applied a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach through stages of socialization, field survey, needs analysis, design development, design presentation, evaluation, and revision. The project resulted in a conceptual mosque design that is adaptive, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly. Proposed solutions include adding a TPQ room with a 30-student capacity, a management and storage room, implementing cross-ventilation and natural openings to enhance thermal comfort, and maximizing daylighting to potentially reduce electricity use by up to 20%. This design not only fulfills worship and educational space needs but also strengthens the mosque’s socio-religious role and raises environmental awareness within the community. The project supports the implementation of the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) program and Higher Education Key Performance Indicators (IKU) by demonstrating a tangible contribution of universities to society through sustainable architecture.

The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of strategic infrastructure of cash transfer programs on performance of selected NGOs in Isiolo County, Kenya. A cross-sectional research design was adopted in the study to collect quantitative and qualitative data from diverse respondents at one point in time. The target population was 8 international registered NGOs in Isiolo County currently offering cash transfer programs. The respondents included 8 operations managers, 25 finance officers, and 93 project coordinators, whose roles involved operations related to cash transfer programs. The sample was selected using purposive and simple random sampling, and the data was analyzed using SPSS for quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative interviews. The correlation coefficient value of strategic infrastructure is r=0.486 at α < 0.001 at 99% significance level. An R value of .486 at a significance value of 0.001 is an indication that there was a statistically significant influence of strategic infrastructure on organizational performance. The regression results indicated that strategic infrastructure is 0.253 and a significance value of 0.003. The results are an indication that organizational performance was increased or decreased by a unit of .253 of the strategic infrastructure. The NGOs had made impressive investments towards the support of their ICT infrastructure to protect beneficiaries’ data and safeguard online financial transactions to support conditional and non-conditional cash transfer programs. Nevertheless, physical infrastructure was found out to be lacking, compromising the safety hard cash that may be present for purposes of facilitating physical cash transfer to the beneficiaries. The directors of NGOs are recommended to reevaluate and improve on their capital investments to consider safety enhancements within the NGO premises. This could include acquiring safety boxes and reinforcing the cash storage rooms with steel doors. The management are also recommended to provide training to their staff on safety protocols especially when handing physical money.

Elevated 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-ol levels in storage room headspace precede superficial scald symptom development on ‘Granny Smith’ apples

Residential and agricultural buildings must prioritize environmental sustainability, employing locally sourced, bio/geologically sustainable materials, and reversible construction methods. Hence, adobe construction and earth-based building methods are experiencing a comeback. This article describes the hygrothermal performances of a real scale agricultural building prototype, in real field conditions, built and designed to be energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, and well-suited for the hot, dry climates typical of the Mediterranean region during summer. The building prototype is a small modular two room construction, one room based on wood (for control purpose) and the other one on raw earth. The experimental set up highlights the passive cooling and humidity regulation potential provided by raw earth and adobe brick technology in agricultural buildings used for fruit and vegetable storage. Such passive cooling alternatives in the Mediterranean climate could reduce the need for energy-intensive and environmentally impactful cold storage rooms.

Background Formaldehyde a commonly used embalming fluid for the preservation of cadavers, produces numerous short and long-term side effects on the students and staff working with it. Indoor plants have been shown to reduce atmospheric formaldehyde levels. The purpose of the study was to compare the efficacy of indoor plants in reducing formaldehyde levels in ambient air to levels deemed safe by WHO standards Methods The study was conducted in the storage room of the Anatomical dissection hall. 7 potted plants of one variety were kept in the storage room for 14 days and the Formaldehyde reading was measured using a VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) monitor. Then the same was done with no plant. This cycle was repeated 2 more times, with two different plant species. The three spieces of plants used for this study were as follows: Dracaena trifasciata, Epipremnum aureum, Spathiphyllum. Results The results were analysed and compared and it was determined that the effect of having a plant present versus having no plant present on the Formaldehyde concentration in the air was inconclusive as Dracaena trifasciata failed to reject the null hypothesis altogether (p-value>0.05), while Epipremnum aureum and Spathiphyllum rejected the null hypothesis (p-value<0.05), however they both had a weak positive correlation with formaldehyde concentration. Conclusion The efficacy of indoor plants in reducing formaldehyde levels in ambient air needs to be further explored and validated since all the prior studies conducted were in controlled environment and should be done in a real time scenario for its practical and beneficial uses.

In the present study, effects of chitosan-sodium alginate composite coatings functionalized with clove-soy lecithin nanoemulsion were investigated on the postharvest shelf life and quality characteristics of guava and eggplant fruits at room storage condition (23±3 °C, RH- 60-65 %). The postharvest characteristics such as weight loss, acidity, TSS, respiration rate, antioxidant activity and visual appearance of the fruits were determined up to 12 days of storage. The results revealed that the application of chitosan-sodium alginate composite effective to maintained higher postharvest characteristics of guava and eggplant fruits as compared to control and coating with alone chitosan and sodium alginate. The F3 (50:50, chitosan-sodium alginate) composite coating was found most significant with retarded the weight loss in guava and eggplant. On 12 days of storage, the significantly (p>0.05) lower weight loss (9.24 %, 10.9 %), respiration rate (22.48 mg CO2kg-1h-1, 18.78 mg CO2kg-1h-1), total soluble solids (9.87°Brix, 4.96 °Brix) with higher maintained of titratable acidity (0.49 %, 0.36 %), antioxidant activity (53.745 %, 33.09 %) and total phenolic content (129.74 mg/100g, 49.09 mg/100g), respectively was found in guava and eggplants fruits treated with F3 composite coating formulation followed by F4 and F2 coating formulations. The control (distilled water) samples showed higher weight loss (18.02 %, 21.84 %), TSS (10.78 °Brix, 5.78°Brix), with lower values of acidity (0.29 %, 0.22 %), antioxidant (39.12 %, 23.01 %) and total phenolic content (89.64 mg/100 g, 32.86 mg/100 g), respectively in both guava and eggplant fruits, respectively.

The construction industry has many factors that cause work accidents, but the most highlighted is worker awareness in using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This study develops an Internet of Things (IoT)-based monitoring system to maintain the quality of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the storage room by monitoring environmental conditions and officer activities. This system is designed to monitor room temperature, humidity, and air quality to ensure that PPE is stored in standard conditions. In addition, the system is equipped with a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) module to record and monitor the activities of officers entering and leaving the storage room. The ESP32 microcontroller is used as a data processing center connected to various sensors and RFID modules, and functions to send data in real time to the server via a Wi-Fi network. The test results show that the system is able to monitor room temperature conditions accurately in the range of 20-250C and air humidity at 40-60% and detect officer activities effectively. Indoor dust conditions are maintained below 10 mg/m3 by utilizing a blower fan. This system is expected to support safer, more efficient, and technology-based PPE storage management.

The main mycotoxin found in apples is patulin (PAT), mostly produced by Penicillium expansum, during the storage of fruits. It is very difficult to control the quality of every fruit that enters the processing line, so there is a high probability that apple juice, applesauce, apple cider, even products intended for babies, contain moldy fruits, with PAT content. This review paper provides detailed information about the extrinsic and intrinsic factors that affect PAT prevalence in apples. Extrinsic factors, such as temperature, air composition in the storage room or packaging material, play a key role in infection with P. expansum and PAT accumulation. Lower temperatures often prevent fungal growth and the production of the mycotoxin, whereas higher or unstable temperatures can promote the buildup of the toxin in infected fruits. Controlled atmosphere storage appears to inhibit the accumulation of PAT in apples. In terms of internal composition, variations in the pH of the fruits and flesh firmness significantly impact fungal growth and PAT production in the fruits. The presence of ethylene, sucrose and polyphenols are some of the decisive chemical components that regulate PAT buildup. Susceptibility of different cultivars is also genetically driven, but the size of the decay area and the toxin-producing capacity of the fungal strain have noteworthy influence as well. Knowledge of these elements helps to understand the mechanisms of PAT production.