The role of ear environment in postharvest susceptibility of maize to toxigenic Aspergillus flavus

A kernel screening assay (KSA) was used to assess the genetic and environmental effects on the vulnerability of maize to aflatoxin accumulation. Kernels of 26 inbred lines that had been grown in seven environments, and 190 lines of the Intermated B73xMo17 (IBM) population grown in one location in the United States, were inoculated with a toxigenic strain of A. flavus and incubated in the dark at 30°C for 6 days. Percent kernel colonization (PKC), sporulation and aflatoxin were influenced by the maize genotypes (G), the location (“ear environment” or E) and the GxE interactions. Overall, low broad‐sense heritabilities were observed for PKC, sporulation and aflatoxin. PKC was significantly correlated with sporulation in all environments. Aflatoxin was positively correlated with colonization for two and with sporulation for all ear environments. Higher grain sulphur or magnesium in IBM was associated with less colonization or aflatoxin. Postharvest susceptibility of maize to aflatoxin is thus influenced by factors that are modulated by the ear environment. In a KSA, sporulation could be a proxy test for aflatoxin accumulation.     

Silage and total mixed ration hygienic quality on commercial farms: implications for animal production

Implications of silage hygienic quality for animal production were investigated on forty‐five dairy farms in South West England. Samples of grass and maize silages and of total mixed rations (TMR) were obtained together with information on silage technology, herd size and animal production. Samples were analysed for mycotoxins, bacteria, yeasts, moulds and chemical composition. Thirteen mycotoxins were assayed, but none were detected in the samples of grass silage. However, mycotoxins were found in 0·9 of all maize and other silage samples, with deoxynivalenol and zearalenone predominating. There was no relationship between total mycotoxin concentration and mean lactation milk yield per cow. Enterobacteria counts tended to be higher in maize silage than in grass silage and higher still in TMR – a cause for concern. There were no relationships between mould counts and mycotoxin concentrations in silages, implying that mycotoxins may have been produced in the field pre‐ensiling.     

2020年底各地新玉米霉菌毒素风险分析

为了解呕吐毒素（DON）、玉米赤霉烯酮（ZEN）和黄曲霉毒素B1（AFB1）在2020年底新玉米中的污染情况,指导饲料生产企业和养殖场（户）开展霉菌毒素防控,降低霉菌毒素对饲料质量安全及养殖动物的影响,避免经济受损的风险。2020年12月在市场上采集新玉米样本225份,采用胶体金免疫层析法或上转发光免疫分析法对其霉菌毒素污染情况进行检测,依据安佑集团相关企业标准标和GB 13078-2017《饲料卫生标准》进行判定分析。结果表明：新玉米中霉菌毒素检出率为96.0%,其中DON、ZEN和AFB1的检出率分别为85.8%、87.1%和86.7%|DON、ZEN和AFB1在新玉米中的污染状况差别较大,按《饲料卫生标准》判定的超标率分别为0.0%、0.4%和11.6%|最大检测值分别为2500、534 μg/kg和＞100 μg/kg。就产地而言,山西、内蒙古、东北、安徽、山东、河南、云南、陕西等地霉菌毒素污染较重。综上,与2019年及2020年玉米霉菌毒素污染调查数据相比,2020年底新玉米污染程度较重。 [关键词] 玉米|霉菌毒素|胶体金免疫层析法|上转发光免疫分析法|污染规律     

Experimental Mycotoxic Nephropathy in Pigs Provoked by a Diet Containing Ochratoxin A and Penicillic Acid

Mycotoxic nephropathy was induced in 18 young pigs by diets contaminated with strains of Aspergillus ochraceus containing ochratoxin A (OTA) and penicillic acid (PA) at levels corresponding to those naturally encountered in animal feeds in Bulgaria. Haematological and biochemical parameters, as well as the morphological and ultrastructural changes in various internal organs, and especially in the kidneys, were examined at different stages of development of the disease. A mottled surface of the kidneys was only seen in pigs exposed to a mouldy diet containing 180 ppb OTA for 3 months, but microscopic lesions, as well as changes in various haematological and biochemical parameters, were observed in all groups exposed to the same mouldy diet containing only 90 or 180 ppb OTA. Histological examination showed two types of change: degenerative changes affecting the epithelial cells of the proximal tubules, which predominated at the initial stage, and proliferative changes in the interstitium, which predominated at the later stage of the disease. Telangiectasis and lymph stasis were also seen, as well as degenerative changes in the capillary endothelium. The characteristic renal lesions were similar to those observed in spontaneous cases of mycotoxic porcine nephropathy in Bulgaria, but they were a little different from the classic Danish porcine nephropathy. The enhanced toxicity of OTA in our study may be due to a synergistic effect between OTA and PA or to some other unknown metabolites produced by the same ochratoxinogenic strains of A. ochraceus.     

Breeding wheat and rye for resistance to Fusarium diseases

Fusarium culmorum and F. graminearum Groups 1 and 2 cause seedling blight, crown rot, foot rot and head blight in wheat and rye that may affect grain yield and quality for baking and feeding. This review starts with an analysis of Fusarium populations with regard to their genetic variation for aggressiveness, mycotoxin production, and isolate-by-host genotype interaction. To assess resistance in the different host growth stages, quantitative inoculation and disease assessment techniques are necessary. Based on estimated population parameters, breeding strategies are reviewed to improve Fusarium resistance in wheat and rye. Epidemiological and toxicological aspects of Fusarium resistance that are important for resistance breeding are discussed. F. culmorum and F. graminearum display large genetic variation for aggressiveness in isolate collections and in naturally occurring populations. The production of mycotoxins, especially deoxynivalenol and its derivatives, is a common trait in these populations. Significant isolate-by-host genotype interactions were not found across environments in wheat and rye. Artificial infections in the field are indispensable for improving Fusarium crown rot, foot rot and head blight resistance in wheat and rye. For a reliable disease assessment of large populations, disease severity ratings were found to be the most convenient. The differentiation of host resistance is greatly influenced by an array of nongenetic factors (macro-environment, microclimate, host growth stage, host organ) that show significant interactions with host genotype. Selection for environmentally stable resistance has to be performed in several environments under a maximum array of different infection levels. Selection in early growth stages or on one plant organ does not in most cases allow prediction of resistance in adult-plant stages or another plant organ. Significant genetic variation for resistance exists for all Fusarium-incited diseases in breeding populations of wheat and rye. The patho-systems studied displayed a prevalence of additive gene action with no consistent specific combining ability effects and thus rapid progress can be expected from recurrent selection. In wheat, intensive testing of parental genotypes allows good prediction of the mean head blight resistance after crossing. Subsequent selection during selfing generations enables the use of transgression towards resistance. In hybrid breeding of winter rye, the close correlation between foot rot resistance of inbred lines and their GCA effects implies that selection based on the lines per se should be highly effective. This is not valid for F. culmorum head blight of winter rye caused by a greater susceptibility of the inbred lines compared to their crosses. For both foot rot and head blight resistance, a high correlation between the resistance to F. graminearum and F. culmorum was found in wheat and rye. Mycotoxin accumulation occurs to a great extent in naturally and artificially infected plant stands. The correlation between resistance traits and mycotoxin contents are medium and highly dependent on the environment. Further experiments are needed to clarify whether greater resistance will lead to a correlated reduction of the mycotoxin content of the grains under natural infection.     

Preparation on the basis of Trichoderma asperellum in the system of biological protection of wheat from Fusarium ear scab

During the last century, as the area of wheat grown under advanced grain husbandry has increased worldwide, so too has the importance of Fusarium ear scab (FES) (synonym, Fusarium head blight) caused by several species of the fungus Fusarium. Yield losses due to FES can total 20%-40% and more depending on climatic conditions. During the last twenty years epidemics of FES in cereals have become chronic all over the world, including the United States and Russia. The most destructive of t…     

Germination of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gibberella zeae</Emphasis> ascospores as affected by age of spores after discharge and environmental factors

The effects of age of ascospores (0–18 days after discharge), photon flux density (0–494 mol m^–2 s^–1 PAR), temperature (4–30 °C), frost (–15 °C for 30 min), relative humidity (RH; 0–100%), pH (2.5–6.5) and dryness (0 and 53% RH for up to 40 min) on the germination of the ascospores of the mycotoxin-producing fungus Gibberella zeae (anamorph Fusarium graminearum) were studied. Freshly discharged ascospores germinated within 4 h at 20 °C and 100% RH. The rate of germination and the percentage of viable ascospores decreased over time after the spores were discharged from perithecia. The time course of ascospore germination was not significantly affected by photon flux density. The period of time required to obtain 50% germinated ascospores at 100% RH was 26.90 h at 4 °C, 10.40 h at 14 °C, 3.44 h at 20 °C and 3.31 h at 30 °C. There was no significant effect of frost on the percentage of viable ascospores. A small percentage (6.6 ± 3.8%) of the ascospores germinated at 53% RH. At RH 84% and 20 °C almost 100% of the freshly discharged ascospores germinated. The time course of ascospore germination was affected by pH. The maximum rate of ascospore germination was estimated to be at pH 3.76. Ascospores lost their ability to germinate following exposure to 0% RH almost instantaneously. No germinating spores were detected after an incubation period of 1 min at 0% RH. Incubating the ascospores at 53% RH decreased the percentage of viable spores from 93 to 6% within 10 min. The data demonstrate that age of spores, relative humidity, temperature and pH, but not photon flux density, are key factors in germination of G. zeae ascospores.     

自然霉变玉米及添加甘露寡糖对断奶仔猪肝脏结构与功能的影响

本试验旨在研究自然霉变玉米对断奶仔猪生长性能、肝脏结构与功能的影响,并初步探讨甘露寡糖可能的缓解作用。试验采用2×2因子设计,20头体重(8.10±0.32)kg的35日龄PIC断奶仔猪随机分为4组,分别饲喂添加不同水平霉变玉米(0、100%)和甘露寡糖(0、0.2%)的饲粮。结果表明:霉变玉米组仔猪全期平均日增重(P<0.01)和平均日采食量显著降低(P<0.05);肝细胞发生严重颗粒和空泡变性,肝脏丙二醛含量显著升高(P<0.05)和Bax mRNA表达量极显著升高(P<0.01)。添加甘露寡糖极显著提高仔猪肝脏总抗氧化力(T-AOC)(P<0.01),缓解霉变玉米导致的肝脏病理损伤,且霉变玉米与甘露寡糖对T-AOC的影响具有显著的交互效应(P<0.01)。由此可见,自然霉变玉米降低仔猪生长性能,诱导肝脏氧化应激并损伤肝脏结构;添加甘露寡糖对自然霉变玉米导致的肝损伤有一定程度的缓解作用。     

饲料中几种主要霉菌毒素的危害及防治措施

饲料霉变严重危害饲料业及畜牧业生产过程。就饲料中几种常见霉菌毒素的危害及防治措施进行了综述．并主要介绍了以生物防治为主的防治措施,以期为科学认识霉菌毒素和选用防霉剂提供参考依据。     

乳酸菌清除霉菌毒素作用及其机制

霉菌毒素广泛存在于食品和饲料当中,严重地危害人类和动物的健康。如何有效清除霉菌毒素一直是重要的研究课题。乳酸菌具有多种生物学功能,近年来研究表明,乳酸菌具有清除霉菌毒素能力。为了更好地理解乳酸菌清除霉菌毒素的作用,文章就近年来乳酸菌对霉菌毒素的清除机制加以综述。