Browsing by Author "Phokane, Sylvia"

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    Agricultural practices and their potential role in mycotoxin contamination of maize and groundnut subsistence farming
    (Academy of Science of South Africa, 2019-09-26) Phokane, Sylvia; Flett, Bradley C.; Ncube, Edson; Rheeder, John P.; Rose, Lindy J.
    Mycotoxigenic fungi are common pathogens of maize and groundnuts; they produce mycotoxins which reduce the yield and quality of these grain crops. Numerous agricultural practices including crop rotation and storage methods have been shown to impact mycotoxin accumulation. Therefore, the farming and storage practices in maize and groundnut subsistence farming systems in Pongola, Vryheid, Jozini, Manguzi and Mbazwana Districts of northern KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) were surveyed to determine their potential role in promoting or mitigating mycotoxin contamination. A questionnaire about agricultural farming practices and storage facilities was presented to 65 subsistence maize and/or groundnut farmers. At least 90% of the farmers surveyed were not aware of mycotoxins and their consequences to animal and human health. The majority of the farmers did not practise crop rotation. However, they practised intercropping and sorted damaged and mouldy grain (maize and groundnuts) before storage. The damaged or mouldy grain was largely used as animal feed, thereby exposing animals to an increased risk of mycotoxicoses. Metal tanks and inqolobane (a type of wooden structure) were identified as the most common storage structures. Harvested homegrown maize was mostly used for the farmers’ own consumption but also sometimes sold to the local community. The implementation of mycotoxin awareness campaigns is necessary, particularly in these districts. The storage facilities used by the subsistence farmers allowed increased moisture and insect invasion. The need for the surveillance of mycotoxins in subsistence-farmed food crops is vital.
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    Mycotoxin contamination of maize and groundnut produced by subsistence farmers in northern KwaZulu-Natal
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-03) Phokane, Sylvia; Rose, Lindy J. ; Flett, B. C.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Plant Pathology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Subsistence farmers in South Africa face many production challenges including infection of their grain crops with mycotoxigenic fungi and concomitant mycotoxin contamination. Fusarium spp. and Aspergillus spp. are the most common fungal species infecting maize and groundnuts while plant-parasitic nematodes are also associated with groundnuts in South Africa. Maize and groundnut questionnaires regarding production practices were presented to subsistence farmers in Pongola, Vryheid, Jozini, Manguzi and Mbazwana districts of northern KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. Maize and groundnut grain samples were also collected at harvest and after three months of storage during the 2012/13 and 2013/14 seasons. Groundnuts, roots and soil samples were collected before harvest during the 2013/14 season, only. Fusarium graminearum, F. verticillioides and A. flavus target DNA levels were quantified in maize using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and the presence of multi-mycotoxins were determined using the liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Nematodes were extracted using sieving method and identified microscopically. Questionnaires revealed that over 90% of farmers were not aware of mycotoxins or their implications on human and livestock health. Visually diseased grain was often fed to livestock sensitive to mycotoxicosis such as chickens. Production practices amongst some farmers including crop rotation and the well-ventilated storage of grain may contribute to reduced mycotoxin contamination. In maize grain the Fusarium graminearum levels were significantly higher than F. verticillioides and A. flavus levels in both seasons. Contrary to expectations, zearalenone, produced by F. graminearum, was very low (<0.02 μg/g) at harvest and storage during both seasons while deoxynivalenol and nivalenol was not detected. There were significant differences between districts (localities) and collection periods (harvest and storage) and localities per seasons (P < 0.05) for all mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins evaluated. Maize sampled in Jozini district was the most contaminated with mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins while Mbazwana and Manguzi districts were the least contaminated. Four plant-parasitic nematodes, namely D. africanus, Pratylenchus spp., Meloidogyne spp. and Helicotylenchus spp., were identified from groundnut samples obtained in Jozini, Manguzi and Mbazwana during the 2012/13 and 2013/14 seasons. Furthermore, Tylenchus spp. was identified for the first time in groundnuts, pegs and soil collected before harvest during the 2013/14 season. Results from this study showed that there is a need for mycotoxin awareness campaigns and additional surveillance to continuously monitor mycotoxin contamination and potential exposure. More in-depth analyses of all the potential factors contributing to mycotoxin contamination and exposure, particularly in the subsistence production are of northern KZN, is warranted.