Determination of wound types predisposing corn cobs to Aspergillus flavus infection and aflatoxin contamination
1993
Garcia, R.P. | Barrios, H.A. (Philippines Univ., Los Banos, College, Laguna (Philippines). National Crop Protection Center)
Rats and lepidopterous pests are among the most serious and destructive pests of corn. Damage created by these pests may also predispose corn cobs to infection by Aspergillus flavus and other fungal pathogens causing further deterioration. In order to determine the influence of wound types created by these pests on kernel infection and aflatoxin contamination, field-plot experiments were conducted during the 1993 dry and wet cropping seasons at DA-CVIARC, Ilagan, Isabela [Philippines]. The experimental design was RCBD with 6 treatments and 5 replications consisting of unwounded control, simulated corn borer and rat damage at 50 percent silking stage. Results from the dry season trial showed highest infection and aflatoxin content in the simulated rat damage inoculated at silking stage followed by the same wound type inoculated at 20 DAE. Values for simulated corn borer damage were higher compared to the unwounded control but differences were only significant in the aflatoxin content when inoculated at silking stage. Kernels adjacent to the wound also had higher values than sound kernels away from the wound. In the wet season trial, similar trend was observed with regards to treatments with simulated wounding but highest infection and aflatoxin content was observed in the unwounded control. This shows that Aspergillus growth does not favor wet season when corn ears with simulated wound were invaded by other fungal pathogens. Ear damage in the field provided infection sites not only to Aspergillus spp. but to various fungi as well
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