INFLUENCE OF ITURIN-A ON MYCELIAL WEIGHT AND AFLATOXIN PRODUCTION BY ASPERGILLUS-FLAVUS AND ASPERGILLUS-PARASITICUS IN SHAKE CULTURE

Iturin A, a peptidolipid produced by Bacillus subtilis, inhibits growth of a large number of fungi. In this study, the effects of iturin A were evaluated on nine isolates of A. flavus and seven isolates of A. parasiticus in liquid shake culture. The mycelial dry weight of the A. flavus isolates was not significantly influenced by iturin A, however, there was a significant reduction in mycelial dry weight for two of the A. parasiticus isolates., Aflatoxin production was significantly reduced in five of the A. flavus isolates and three of the six aflatoxigenic A. parasiticus isolates. For the other seven isolates, aflatoxin levels were either unchanged or significantly increased in the presence of iturin A. These results indicate that iturin A does not consistently reduce growth or aflatoxin production of these fungi in pure culture.