MYCOFLORA OF ARGENTINEAN CORN HARVESTED IN THE MAIN PRODUCTION AREA IN 1990

Corn (Zea mays) is the main cereal produced in and exported from Argentina. The risk of contamination by mycotoxins is related to the mycoflora associated with the corn kernels. This paper reports on the identification of internal and external mycoflora of corn kernels harvested in the main production area in Argentina in 1990. A mycological survey was carried out on 178 corn samples, from five locations in that area and the isolation frequency and relative density of the prevalent fungal genera compared. Genus Fusarium was the most prevalent component of the internal seedborne mycoflora in the five locations. Penicillium was prevalent in all locations, taking into account the frequency. However, this genus was predominant only in two locations, when the relative density was considered. The predominant Fusarium was F. moniliforme and the most frequently isolated species of Alternaria, Aspergillus and Penicillium were A. alternata, A. flavus and P. decumbens, respectively. Diplodia species were not isolated from any of the samples.