Mycoflora and fumonisin contamination in Brazilian corn from sowing to harvest

The present study aimed to analyze the mycoflora and potential mycotoxin contamination of soil and corn samples collected at different plant maturity stages in Cap?o Bonito and Ribeir?o Preto, two regions of the State of S?o Paulo, Brazil. In addition, the data obtained were correlated with the occurrence of wind-dispersed fungi and the predominant climatic conditions of the two regions studied. Corn mycoflora profiles showed that Fusarium verticillioides prevailed in 35% of the samples from Cap?o Bonito and in 49% of the samples from Ribeir?o Preto. Examination of wind-dispersed fungi also revealed a high incidence of F. verticillioides. Soil mycoflora analyses showed that Penicilliumwas the most prevalent genus, although F. verticillioides was present in 55.5% of Cap?o Bonito's samples and in 26.7% of Ribeir?o Preto's samples. With respect to water activity, the corn kernels most contaminated with F. verticillioides had water activity levels of 0.70-0.80. HPLC analysis of fumonisins revealed that 88.5% of Cap?o Bonito's kernels were contaminated with fumonisin B(1) (FB(1)) (0.09-10.87 microg/g) and 53.8% with fumonisin B(2) (FB(2)) (0.05-0.52 microg/g); Ribeir?o Preto's kernels presented contamination levels of 93.5% for FB(1) (0.11-17.69 microg/g) and 61.3% for FB(2) (0.05-5.24 microg/g). No aflatoxins were detected by thin-layer chromatography in corn grains of either region. The concomitant occurrence of F. verticillioides and fumonisins in most of the field corn assayed demonstrates the importance of an effective control of cultivation throughout the plant maturity stages.     

Incidence of Fusarium verticillioides and levels of fumonisins in corn from main production areas in Iran

A total of 52 corn samples collected in 2000 from four main corn production provinces of Iran (Fars, Kermanshah, Khuzestan, and Mazandaran) were analyzed for contamination with Fusarium verticillioides and fumonisins (FB(1), FB(2), FB(3), and 3-epi-FB(3)). The mean incidence of F. verticillioides (percent of kernels infected) for these four areas was 26.7, 21.4, 24.9, and 59.0%, respectively. The incidence in Mazandaran was significantly (p < 0.05) above that of the other areas. All samples from Mazandaran were contaminated with fumonisins with a mean level of total fumonisins of 10674 microg/kg. In contrast, the incidence of fumonisin contamination above 10 microg/kg was 53 (8/15), 42 (5/12), and 57% (8/14) in the samples from Fars, Kermanshah, and Khuzestan, respectively, and the corresponding mean total fumonisin levels were 215, 71, and 174 microg/kg, respectively. No statistical differences (p > 0.05) were observed in the fumonisin levels of the corn samples from these three provinces, which were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than the fumonisin contamination in samples from Mazandaran.     

Mycotoxins in corn-based food products consumed in Brazil: an exposure assessment for fumonisins

Samples from 10 different corn-based food products commercially sold in the Federal District of Brazil were analyzed for fumonisins (FB1 and FB2) using HPLC/fluorescence following naphthalene-2,3 dicarboxaldehyde (NDA) derivatization (limit of quantification (LOQ) = 0.020 mg/kg). Samples were also analyzed for aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, and G2) on a thin-layer chromatrography (TLC) plate under UV light (LOQ of 2 microg/kg). From the 208 samples analyzed, 80.7 and 71.6% had quantifiable levels of FB1 and FB2, respectively. Mean levels of total fumonisins (FB1 + FB2) ranged from 0.127 mg/kg for corn flakes to 2.04 mg/kg for cornmeal ( creme de milho). No FBs were detected in any of the fresh, sweet corn on the cob samples analyzed. Aflatoxins were not detected in any of the 101 samples analyzed. The daily intakes of fumonisins through the consumption of corn-based food products was estimated using consumption data estimated from the 2002/2003 Brazilian Household Budget Survey and the level of fumonisins found in this and other studies conducted in Brazil. In the Federal District, the calculated total daily intake for the total and the consumers-only populations represented, respectively, 9.0 and 159% of the provisional maximum total daily intake (PMTDI) of 2 microg/kg body weight per day. At the national level, the intakes were calculated based on the fumonisin levels found in the Federal District and on published data from studies conducted elsewhere in the country. They represented 24.1 and 355% PMTDI for the total and the consumers-only populations, respectively. The high incidence of fumonisins in some corn-based products and the exposure levels found for specific subpopulations in the present study indicate the need for setting safe regulatory levels for fumonisins in food in Brazil.     

Reduction of fumonisin B1 in corn grits by single-screw extrusion

This study was designed to determine the efficacy of extrusion in reducing fumonisin B1 in corn flaking grits in the presence and absence of glucose. In addition, degradation products of fumonisin B1 during extrusion were identified and quantitated with a mass balance approach. Uncontaminated clean corn grits, grits spiked with 30 microg/g fumonisin B1, and grits fermented with Fusarium verticillioides M-2552 (40-50 microg/g fumonisin B1) were extruded in the presence and absence of glucose (10%, w/w) using a single-screw extruder. Extrusion decreased fumonisin B1 by 21-37%, whereas the same process with added glucose further decreased fumonisin B1 by 77-87%. LC-fluorescence and LC-MS showed that most fumonisin in the extruded samples without added glucose was the fumonisin B1 form, whereas the main degradation product in grits extruded with glucose was N-(deoxy- d-fructos-1-yl)fumonisin B1. The formation of hydrolyzed fumonisin B1 was not significant during extrusion. Results suggest that extrusion in the presence of glucose may reduce fumonisin B1 in corn grits significantly.     

Fumonisin production by Fusarium verticillioides strains isolated from maize in Mexico and development of a polymerase chain reaction to detect potential toxigenic strains in grains

Fumonisins are mycotoxins produced by Fusarium verticillioides (Sacc. Nirenberg) in maize (Zea mays L.), a staple crop in Mexico. In this study, we report the isolation and identification of 67 Fusarium strains isolated from maize kernels collected in Northwest and Central Mexico. The strains were characterized regarding fumonisin B(1) production and the presence of the FUM1 gene. F. verticillioides was the predominant species isolated in both geographic regions, but the isolates from Northwest Mexico produced higher levels of fumonisin. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method, to detect a region of the FUM1 gene involved in fumonisin biosynthesis, was developed and employed to detect mycotoxigenic fungi in pure culture and in contaminated maize. The presence of the FUM1 gene was associated with fumonisin production in most isolates, except seven that did not synthesize fumonisin but contained the gene in their genome. The PCR method allowed the direct detection of fungal contamination in ground corn and could be employed to screen for the presence of potential mycotoxigenic fusaria.     

Effect of essential oils on the growth of Fusarium verticillioides and fumonisin contamination in corn

Essential oils extracted by hydrodistillation from local plants in Benin, western Africa, and oil from seeds of the neem tree (Azadirachta indica) were evaluated in vitro and in vivo for their efficacy against Fusarium verticillioides infection and fumonisin contamination. Fumonisin in corn was quantified using a fluorometer and the Vicam method. Oils from Cymbopogon citratus, Ocimum basilicum, and Ocimum gratissimum were the most effective in vitro, completely inhibiting the growth of F. verticillioides at lower concentrations over 21 days of incubation. These oils reduced the incidence of F. verticillioides in corn and totally inhibited fungal growth at concentrations of 8, 6.4, and 4.8 microL/g, respectively, over 21 days. At the concentration of 4.8 microL/g, these oils did not affect significantly fumonisin production. However, a marked reduction of fumonisin level was observed in corn stored in closed conditions. The oils adversely affected kernel germination at 4.8 microL/g and therefore cannot be recommended for controlling F. verticillioides on stored corn used as seeds, when used at this concentration. The oil of neem seeds showed no inhibitory effect but rather accelerated the growth of F. verticillioides.     

Liquid chromatographic determination of fumonisins B1, B2, and B3 in corn silage

Corn silage was dried, ground, and then extracted with 0.1 M ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. The filtrate was applied to a FumoniTest immunoaffinity column. Fumonisins were derivatized with naphthalene-2,3-dicarboxaldehyde, separated on a C(18) liquid chromatographic column, and detected by fluorescence. The detection limits for fumonisin B(1), fumonisin B(2), and fumonisin B(3) were 50, 25, and 25 ng/g of dried silage, respectively. Recoveries of fumonisin B(1), fumonisin B(2), and fumonisin B(3) from wet and dried corn silage spiked over the range of 100-5000 ng/g averaged 91-106%. The method was applied to corn silage samples collected from the midwestern area of the United States during 2001-2002. Of 89 corn silage samples, fumonisin B(1), fumonisin B(2), and fumonisin B(3) were found in 86 (97%), 64 (72%), and 51 (57%) of the samples. The mean positive levels of fumonisin B(1), fumonisin B(2), and fumonisin B(3) were 615, 93, and 51 ng/g, respectively, in dried silage. This suggests that fumonisins may be frequent low level contaminants in corn silage.     

Natural occurrence of fumonisins in corn from Iran

Corn collected in the Mazandaran and Isfahan Provinces of Iran was analyzed for fumonisin B(1) (FB(1)), fumonisin B(2) (FB(2)), and fumonisin B(3) (FB(3)). The samples from Mazandaran Province, situated on the Caspian littoral of Iran, were random samples from farmers' corn lots collected in September 1998, whereas those from Isfahan Province, situated further south in the center of Iran, were bought as corn cobs in the local retail market during October 1998. All 11 samples from Mazandaran showed high levels of fumonisin contamination with FB(1) levels between 1.270 and 3.980 microg/g, FB(2) levels between 0.190 and 1.175 microg/g, and FB(3) levels between 0.155 and 0.960 microg/g. Samples from Isfahan showed lower levels of contamination with eight of eight samples having detectable FB(1) (0.010-0.590 microg/g), two of eight samples having detectable FB(2) (0.050-0.075 microg/g), and two of eight samples having detectable FB(3) (0.050-0.075 microg/g). This is the first report of fumonisin contamination of corn from Iran, in which samples from the area of high esophageal cancer on the Caspian littoral have been shown to contain high levels of fumonisins.     

Fumonisin B2 production by Aspergillus niger

The carcinogenic mycotoxin fumonisin B2 was detected for the first time in the industrially important Aspergillus niger. Fumonisin B2, known from Fusarium verticillioides and other Fusaria, was detected in cultures of three full genome sequenced strains of A. niger, in the ex type culture and in a culture of F. verticillioides by electrospray LC-MS analysis of methanolic extracts from agar plugs of cultures grown on several substrates. Whereas F. verticillioides produced fumonisins B1, B2, and B3 on agar media based on plant extracts, such as barley malt, oat, rice, potatoes, and carrots, A. niger produced fumonisin B2 best on agar media with a low water activity, including Czapek yeast autolysate agar with 5% NaCl. Of the media tested, only rice corn steep agar supported fumonisin production by both F. verticillioides and A. niger. However, A. niger had a different regulation of fumonisin production and a different quantitative profile of fumonisins, producing only B2 as compared to F. verticillioides. Fumonisin production by A. niger, which is a widely occurring species and an extremely important industrial organism, will have very important implications for biotechnology and especially food safety. A. niger is used for the production of citric acid and as producer of extracellular enzymes, and also as a transformation host for the expression of heterologous proteins. Certain strains of A. niger produce both ochratoxin A and fumonisins, so some foods and feeds may potentially contain two types of carcinogenic mycotoxins from this species.     

Rapid detection of kernel rots and mycotoxins in maize by near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy

Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is a practical spectroscopic procedure for the detection of organic compounds in matter. It is particularly useful because of its nondestructiveness, accuracy, rapid response, and easy operation. This work assesses the applicability of NIR for the rapid identification of micotoxigenic fungi and their toxic metabolites produced in naturally and artificially contaminated products. Two hundred and eighty maize samples were collected both from naturally contaminated maize crops grown in 16 areas in north-central Italy and from ears artificially inoculated with Fusarium verticillioides. All samples were analyzed for fungi infection, ergosterol, and fumonisin B1 content. The results obtained indicated that NIR could accurately predict the incidence of kernels infected by fungi, and by F. verticillioides in particular, as well as the quantity of ergosterol and fumonisin B1 in the meal. The statistics of the calibration and of the cross-validation for mold infection and for ergosterol and fumonisin B1 contents were significant. The best predictive ability for the percentage of global fungal infection and F. verticillioides was obtained using a calibration model utilizing maize kernels (r2 = 0.75 and SECV = 7.43) and maize meals (r2 = 0.79 and SECV = 10.95), respectively. This predictive performance was confirmed by the scatter plot of measured F. verticillioides infection versus NIR-predicted values in maize kernel samples (r2 = 0.80). The NIR methodology can be applied for monitoring mold contamination in postharvest maize, in particular F. verticilliodes and fumonisin presence, to distinguish contaminated lots from clean ones, and to avoid cross-contamination with other material during storage and may become a powerful tool for monitoring the safety of the food supply.     

Production of the mycotoxins fusaproliferin and beauvericin by South African isolates in the Fusarium section Liseola

The production of fusaproliferin (FUS), a recently described mycotoxin, and beauvericin (BEA), a mycotoxin recently reported to co-occur with FUS in Fusarium-infected corn, by South African isolates in the Fusarium section Liseola, was investigated. Five isolates each of F. verticillioides, F. proliferatum, F. subglutinans, and F. globosum were cultured on corn kernels. Four each of the five South African isolates of F. proliferatum and F. subglutinans produced FUS (10-1725 and 330-2630 mg/kg, respectively). BEA was produced by four of the F. proliferatum strains (310-1130 mg/kg) and three of the F. subglutinans strains (140-700 mg/kg). The isolates of F. verticillioides failed to produce significant levels of either of these secondary metabolites. F. globosum was a weak producer of both in that one isolate of five produced 25 mg/kg FUS and five out of five produced BEA at levels ranging between 10 and 110 mg/kg. To further characterize these strains, their production of fumonisins B(1), B(2), and B(3), as well as moniliformin, was investigated. Of the four species investigated, fumonisins were produced by all except F. subglutinans, which in turn was the only species whose isolates in this study produced moniliformin (four of five isolates, ranging from 155 to 2095 mg/kg). Analysis of visibly Fusarium-infected home-grown corn collected in the Transkei region of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa showed that nine of the ten samples contained low levels of FUS (up to 62 microg/kg), whereas all ten samples showed BEA contamination ranging from 8 to 1734 microg/kg with a mean of 258 microg/kg.     

Fumonisin disruption of ceramide biosynthesis in maize roots and the effects on plant development and Fusarium verticillioides-induced seedling disease

The fungus Fusarium verticillioides infects maize and produces fumonisins, inhibitors of ceramide synthase. Seeds of the cultivar Silver Queen were inoculated with fumonisin-producing or non-fumonisin-producing strains of F. verticillioides. Leaf lesion incidence and severity of effects on root and stalk growth were significantly correlated with fumonisin in roots and disruption of sphingolipid metabolism in roots. Uninoculated seeds grown in soil watered with solutions of fumonisin B1 exhibited above-ground symptoms indicative of F. verticillioides-induced seedling disease and dose-dependent reduction in root mass that was inversely correlated with fumonisin B1, sphingoid bases, and sphingoid base 1-phosphates in roots. There was also evidence of an adaptive response to disrupted sphingolipid metabolism in both the virulence and watering assays, suggesting induction of pathways responsible for metabolism of sphingoid base 1-phosphates after prolonged exposure. The results suggest that fumonisin, and its effects on sphingolipids, could contribute to all aspects of F. verticillioides maize seedling disease.     

Aflatoxins and fumonisins in corn from the high-incidence area for human hepatocellular carcinoma in Guangxi, China

A comparative study on the natural occurrence of aflatoxins and Fusarium toxins was conducted with corn samples from high- and low-incidence areas for human primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC) in Guangxi, China. In samples from the high-risk area, aflatoxin B(1) was the predominant toxin detected in terms of quantity and frequency, with its concentration ranging between 9 and 2496 microg/kg and an 85% incidence of contamination. Among the samples, 13 (76%) exceeded the Chinese regulation of 20 microg/kg for aflatoxin B(1) in corn and corn-based products intended for human consumption. Significant differences in aflatoxin B(1), B(2), and G(1) and total aflatoxin concentrations in corn between the areas were found (P < 0.05). The average daily intake of aflatoxin B(1) from corn in the high-risk area was 184.1 microg, and the probable daily intake is estimated to be 3.68 microg/kg of body weight/day, 3.20 times the TD(50) in rats. Corn samples from both areas were simultaneously contaminated with fumonisins B(1), B(2), and B(3). Aflatoxin B(1) may play an important role in the development of PHC in Guangxi.     

The use of land evaluation information by land use planners and decision-makers: a case study in Santa Catarina, Brazil

Abstract. Land evaluation is the prediction of land performance over time under specific uses, to guide strategic land use decisions. Modern land evaluation has a 30 year history, yet the results have often been disappointing. Land users and planners have been reported to ignore land evaluations, perhaps reflecting poor quality, low relevance, or poor communication. To test the success of a large land evaluation exercise undertaken as part of micro-catchment project in Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil, we queried agricultural extensionists, considered as the primary land evaluation clients. We used a questionnaire with both structured and open questions, to determine their experiences with, and attitudes to, the current land evaluation method. The soil resource inventory and associated land evaluation had some usefulness, but were not in general used for their intended purpose, namely farm planning. This was mainly because they did not contain crucial information necessary to such planning in the actual context of the farmer taking decisions. The primary deficiencies were identified as:

• (1)

  no estimate of environmental degradation risk;

       
  
  

Determination of N-(carboxymethyl)fumonisin B(1) in corn products by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization--mass spectrometry

It is well-known that fumonisin B(1) (FB(1)) in corn meal decreases during baking, frying, and cooking, but it is still not exactly clear how heating affects the formation of N-(carboxymethyl)fumonisin B(1) (NCM-FB(1)), the reaction product of FB(1) and reducing sugars. In model experiments corn grits were spiked with FB(1) (2 mg/kg) and D-glucose (50 g/kg) or sucrose (50 g/kg) and manufactured into extrusion products at various temperatures (160--180 degrees C) and moisture levels (16--20%). A liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry method using isotopically labeled fumonisin FB(1)-d(6) as an internal standard was developed for the determination of NCM-FB(1). For sample cleanup solid-phase C18 cartridges were used. The detection limit achieved with this method was 10 ng/g (signal-noise ratio = 3:1) using the protonated molecule [M + H](+) signal of NCM-FB(1) (m/z 780) in the selected ion monitoring mode. Low concentrations of NCM-FB(1) (29-97 ng/g) were detected in all samples spiked with D-glucose and FB(1), whereas those spiked with FB(1) and sucrose showed only NCM-FB(1) in samples produced at 180 degrees C (NCM-FB(1) = 27 ng/g). Various corn-containing food samples from the German market were analyzed for the presence of NCM-FB(1), FB(1), and hydrolyzed fumonisin B(1) (HFB(1)). All samples were contaminated with FB(1) (22--194 ng/g) and HFB(1) (5--247 ng/g). Six of nine samples contained NCM-FB(1) in low concentrations ranging from 10 to 76 ng/g. From these data and the low toxicity of NCM-FB(1) it can be concluded that the significance of NCM-FB(1) in food seems to be a minor one.     

Evaluation of conventional and organic italian foodstuffs for deoxynivalenol and fumonisins B(1) and B(2)

Two lots of human foodstuffs from conventional and organic brand foods were purchased from supermarkets and analyzed for three Fusarium toxins, deoxynivalenol, by GC-ECD, and fumonisins B(1) and B(2) (FB(1)-FB(2)), by LC-MS. The occurrence of deoxynivalenol contamination was higher than 80% in both organic and conventional foods; fumonisin B(1) was found in 20% of organic foods and in 31% of conventional ones and fumonisin B(2) in more than the 32% of the food samples from both the agricultural practices. The highest median concentration of deoxynivalenol occurred in conventional rice-based foodstuffs (207 microg/kg): that of fumonisin B(1) in conventional maize-based foods (345 microg/kg) and that of fumonisin B(2) in organic wheat-based foods (210 microg/kg).     

Fumonisin mycotoxins in traditional Xhosa maize beer in South Africa

The production and consumption of home-brewed Xhosa maize beer is a widespread traditional practice in the former Transkei region of South Africa. HPLC determination of fumonisins B1 (FB1), B2 (FB2), and B3 (FB3) in maize beer samples collected in two magisterial areas, Centane and Bizana, showed a wide range of levels. All samples were positive for FB(1), with a mean level of 281 +/- 262 ng/mL and a range from 38 to 1066 ng/mL. Total fumonisins (FB1 + FB2 + FB3) ranged from 43 to 1329 ng/mL, with a mean of 369 +/- 345 ng/mL. Data on the consumption of home-brewed beer are not available. On the basis of published data for the consumption of commercial beer in South Africa, the fumonisin exposure in these districts among the consumers of maize beer was found to be well above the provisional maximum tolerable daily intake of 2 mug/kg of body weight/day set by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives.     

Mycoflora and occurrence of aflatoxin B(1) and fumonisin B(1) during storage of Brazilian sorghum

The present study is a 1-year follow up of the mycoflora of 140 samples of Brazilian freshly harvested (10) and stored (130) sorghum, the levels of aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination detected in the grains, and the prevailing abiotic factors (grain moisture content, water activity, temperature, relative humidity, and mean rainfall) at the time of sampling. The results show a predominance of the genera Phoma (57.1%), Aspergillus (42.7%), Fusarium (25.0%), and Rhizopus (21.4%) and the presence of nine other filamentous fungi. Fusarium, Aspergillus, and Penicillium, the three most important genera in terms of toxicity, presented numbers of colony forming units per gram of sorghum (CFU/g) that varied from 1 x 10(3) to 36 x 10(3), from 1 x 10(3) to 295 x 10(3), and from 1 x 10(3) to 20 x 10(3) CFU/g, respectively. The species most frequently found were Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium moniliforme. Of the total samples analyzed, 12.8% were contaminated with aflatoxin B(1) (concentration mean = 7-33 microg/kg) and 74.2% with fumonisin B(1) (concentration mean = 0.11-0.15 microg/g). This paper is the first report of the natural occurrence of aflatoxins and fumonisins in sorghum grain from Brazil.     

Quantitation of methylxanthinic alkaloids and phenolic compounds in mate (Ilex paraguariensis) and their effects on blood vessel formation in chick embryos

Methylxanthinic alkaloids and phenolic compounds are related to the therapeutic properties of Ilex paraguariensis infusions. Considering the known vascular tropism of xanthines, an aqueous extract (mate) and caffeine were evaluated on blood vessel formation, in connection with the analysis of those secondary metabolites, which was performed in young and mature leaf samples collected in three cultivation systems located in the southern region in Brazil (Santa Catarina State). Samples of young and mature leaves from a monoculture cultivation system (MC) showed the highest content of phenolic compounds (149.68 microg/mL, young leaves; 135.50 microg/mL, mature leaves) and caffeine (young leaves, 148.07 microg/mL; mature leaves, 244.63 microg/mL) as compared to samples from agroforesty (AF) and shaded-native (NT) cultures. Theophylline was not detected in samples by reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography, and mature leaves showed lower theobromine amounts (11.46 microg/mL). Treatments performed with mate aqueous extract and caffeine (1.03-4.12 microM/disk) in the yolk sac vascular membranes of 2-day-old chick embryos revealed pro-vasculo- and angiogenic properties as well as embryonic growth enhancement. These findings, uncoupled from any detectable embryotoxic effect, suggest a potential therapeutic and/or prophylactic use in cardiovascular disorders for caffeine and related constituents of mate plant extracts, an issue that waits further studies.     

Maize diversity in southern Brazil: indication of a microcenter of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Zea mays</Emphasis> L.

‘Microcenters of diversity’ are restricted geographical areas within which a significant diversity of genetic resources is accumulated. Maize genetic variability, one of the largest among cultivated species, particularly in far western Santa Catarina, southern Brazil, has shown a rich store of landraces, conserved on farm by small-scale farmers. Thus, this study aimed to characterize the diversity of Zea mays L. landraces in two municipalities of this micro-region in Santa Catarina, as well as its geographic distribution, developing the census of diversity as a methodological proposal. Diagnosis was made according to the farmers’ knowledge. The field survey was conducted in 70 rural communities involving 2049 farms. The methodology allowed identifying 136 populations of wild relatives, of which some belong to the species Zea luxurians (Durieu and Ascherson) Bird, and 1513 populations of maize landraces, comprising 1078 of popcorn, 337 of common maize, 61 of sweet maize and 37 of flour maize. The identification of 59 morphological groups, the high use, adaptive and agronomic values, and the Shannon index (H′), estimated according to the grain shape (0.79), endosperm type (0.73), size (0.87), color (1.40), and morphological group (3.16), showed at set a considerable diversity distribution conserved on farm in this micro-region. Landrace richness and the presence of wild relative species, associated with the local human activity and sociocultural aspects, allowed to characterize the far western Santa Catarina as a ‘microcenter of diversity’ of Zea mays L.