Seasonal variation in mycoflora associated with asymptomatic maize grain from small-holder farms in two provinces of South Africa

Aveling, Theresa Ann Sheila; Ridder, Katrien de; Olivier, Nicholas A.; Berger, Dave K.

dc.date.accessioned	2020-11-30T15:46:17Z
dc.date.available	2020-11-30T15:46:17Z
dc.date.issued	2020-11-27
dc.identifier	doi:10.17170/kobra-202011262275
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/12048
dc.language.iso	eng	eng
dc.rights	Namensnennung 4.0 International	*
dc.rights.uri	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/	*
dc.subject	fusarium spp.	eng
dc.subject	grain mycoflora	eng
dc.subject	maize	eng
dc.subject	seed quality	eng
dc.subject	smallholder farmers	eng
dc.subject	stenocarpella maydis	eng
dc.subject.ddc	630
dc.title	Seasonal variation in mycoflora associated with asymptomatic maize grain from small-holder farms in two provinces of South Africa	eng
dc.type	Aufsatz
dcterms.abstract	Seed quality plays an important role in the establishment of healthy crop stands. The aim of this study was to identify the mycoflora associated with maize grain collected over two growing seasons, one experiencing severe drought, from small-holder farms across KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and the Eastern Cape (EC), two important provinces with maize producing small-holder farmers in South Africa. Asymptomatic maize ears were collected at harvest during two maize growing seasons from farms located in Hlanganani (KZN), Ntabamhlophe (KZN), KwaNxamalala (KZN), Bizana (EC) and Tabankulu (EC). Maize grain was subjected to seed health tests using the agar plate method. The percentage incidence of fungal species isolated from maize grain was determined with species identities confirmed by ITS sequencing. Nine fungal genera were identified with Fusarium species and Stenocarpella maydis the most prevalent. Fusarium verticillioides, Fusarium graminearum and S. maydis were isolated from all sites in both seasons. No fungal species exhibited a higher incidence in the drought season across all sites. F. graminearum and S. maydis had higher incidences in the wetter season at four and three sites, respectively. F. verticillioides had a greater incidence at the EC sites, particularly the coastal Bizana site. We conclude that local factors have a greater impact than the drought season on the population structure of ear-rot pathogens. The widespread presence of fungi that are potentially mycotoxin-producing in asymptomatic maize grain poses health risks to consumers and is worthy of further investigation.	eng
dcterms.accessRights	open access
dcterms.creator	Aveling, Theresa Ann Sheila
dcterms.creator	Ridder, Katrien de
dcterms.creator	Olivier, Nicholas A.
dcterms.creator	Berger, Dave K.
dc.subject.swd	Fusarium	ger
dc.subject.swd	Mais	ger
dc.subject.swd	Saatgutqualität	ger
dc.subject.swd	Kleinbauer	ger
dc.subject.swd	Pilze	ger
dc.subject.swd	Südafrika	ger
dc.type.version	publishedVersion
dcterms.source.identifier	EISSN 2363-6033
dcterms.source.issue	No. 2
dcterms.source.journal	Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics (JARTS)	eng
dcterms.source.pageinfo	265-275
dcterms.source.volume	Vol. 121
kup.iskup	false