Mating Type of Native <i>Aspergillus flavus</i> Strains Causing Corn Ear Rot in Argentina
2024
Agustina María Ruiz Posse | Ada Karina Torrico Ramallo | Javier Miguel Barontini | Boris Xavier Camiletti
Fungi of the <i>Aspergillus</i> genus, particularly <i>A. flavus</i>, pose a significant threat to maize crops as they can produce toxic and carcinogenic aflatoxin compounds. This study focused on identifying the sexual mating types, MAT1-1 and MAT1-2, through PCR in <i>A. flavus</i> strains isolated from maize ears in two agricultural regions of Argentina—one subtropical and the other temperate—from the 2012/13 to the 2020/21 growing season. A total of 81 strains were analyzed, revealing a higher frequency of the MAT1-1 type in both regions (69%) and in the seasons with the highest number of strains collected. The MAT1-1 strains included 63% non-aflatoxigenic and 37% aflatoxin producers, predominantly lacking sclerotia production (69%), while MAT1-2 strains were mostly aflatoxin producers (82%) and S-sclerotia producers (48%). Additionally, more vegetative compatibility groups were identified as MAT1-1 (4 out of 6) than MAT1-2. These findings suggest that the use of MAT1-1 strains as biocontrol agents could maintain the stability of natural populations and reduce aflatoxin production, minimizing risks to crops. This underscores the importance of evaluating the genetic structure of <i>A. flavus</i> populations to implement effective biological control strategies.
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