Fusarium spp. and levels of fumonisins in maize produced by subsistence farmers in South Africa
Date
2011
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Academy of Science of South Africa
Abstract
Fusarium spp. produce fumonisins – mycotoxins that are of importance to maize production
in South Africa. Fumonisins have been associated with human oesophageal cancer and cause
various diseases in animals that are of concern to the animal feed industry. Maize samples,
collected from subsistence farm fields in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and
Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa during the 2006 and 2007 growing seasons, were
analysed for Fusarium spp. and contamination with fumonisins. Fusarium verticillioides was
the most common Fusarium species in maize followed by F. subglutinans and F. proliferatum.
Levels of contamination with fumonisins ranged from 0 μg/g to 21.8 μg/g, depending on
the region where samples were collected. Levels of fumonisins were highest in northern
KwaZulu-Natal (Zululand) where 52% and 17% of samples collected in 2006 and 2007,
respectively, exceeded 2 μg/g. Regression analyses showed a positive correlation between
fumonisin-producing Fusarium spp. determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction
and concentration of fumonisins (r = 0.93). Many samples from Zululand, and some from
Mokopane (Limpopo) and Lusikisiki (Eastern Cape), contained fumonisins at levels well
above the maximum levels of 2 μg/g set by the Food and Drug Administration (USA) and
therefore also the limit of 1 μg/g set by the European Union for food intended for direct
human consumption. Regulations governing contamination of grain with fumonisins are not
yet implemented in South Africa. The high incidence of fumonisins in subsistence farming
systems indicates the need for awareness programmes and further research.
Description
CITATION: Ncube, E. et al. 2011. Fusarium spp. and levels of fumonisins in maize produced by subsistence farmers in South Africa. South African Journal of Science, 107(1/2): 367, doi:10.4102/sajs.v107i1/2.367.
The original publication is available at http://archive.sajs.co.za
The original publication is available at http://archive.sajs.co.za
Keywords
Mycotoxins -- South Africa, Fumonisins -- South Africa, Fusarium, Subsistence farming -- South Africa, Corn -- South Africa
Citation
Ncube, E. et al. 2011. Fusarium spp. and levels of fumonisins in maize produced by subsistence farmers in South Africa. South African Journal of Science, 107(1/2): 367, doi:10.4102/sajs.v107i1/2.367.