Emerging mycotoxins such as moniliformin (MON), enniatins (ENs), beauvericin (BEA), and fusaproliferin (FUS) may contaminate maize and negatively influence the yield and quality of grain. The aim of this study was to determine the content of emerging Fusarium mycotoxins in Serbian maize from the 2016, 2017, and 2018 harvests. A total of 190 samples from commercial maize production operations in Serbia were analyzed for the presence of MON, ENs, BEA, and FUS using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The obtained results were interpreted together with weather data from each year. MON, BEA, and FUS were major contaminants, while other emerging mycotoxins were not detected or were found in fewer samples (<20%). Overall contamination was highest in 2016 when MON and BEA were found in 50–80% of samples. In 2017 and 2018, high levels of MON, FUS, and BEA were detected in regions with high precipitation and warm weather during the silking phase of maize (July and the beginning of August), when the plants are most susceptible to Fusarium infections. Since environmental conditions in Serbia are favorable for the occurrence of mycotoxigenic fungi, monitoring Fusarium toxins is essential for the production of safe food and feed.

Aspergillus flavus is the main producer of aflatoxin B1, one of the most toxic contaminants of food and feed. With global warming, climate conditions have become favourable for aflatoxin contamination of agricultural products in several European countries, including Serbia. The infection of maize with A. flavus, and aflatoxin synthesis can be controlled and reduced by application of a biocontrol product based on non-toxigenic strains of A. flavus. Biological control relies on competition between atoxigenic and toxigenic strains. This is the most commonly used biological control mechanism of aflatoxin contamination in maize in countries where aflatoxins pose a significant threat. Mytoolbox Af01, a native atoxigenic A. flavus strain, was obtained from maize grown in Serbia and used to produce a biocontrol product that was applied in irrigated and non-irrigated Serbian fields during 2016 and 2017. The application of this biocontrol product reduced aflatoxin levels in maize kernels (51–83%). The biocontrol treatment had a highly significant effect of reducing total aflatoxin contamination by 73%. This study showed that aflatoxin contamination control in Serbian maize can be achieved through biological control methods using atoxigenic A. flavus strains.

Alternaria toxins are mycotoxins produced by various Alternaria species which, besides the Fusarium species, represent the principal contaminants of wheat worldwide. As currently, only limited information on the behaviour of Alternaria toxins during processing of cereals is available, the objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the dry milling process of wheat on Alternaria toxins distribution. Alternariol (AOH), alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) and tenuazonic acid (TeA) content were analysed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in all milling fractions of untreated (control), fungicide-treated, Alternaria tenuissima inoculated and commercial wheat sample. After dry milling process, in last break and milling flows and by-products, increased concentration of examined Alternaria toxins was detected. TeA was quantified in almost all milling fractions in all tested wheat samples, while AOH and AME were detectable mostly in last break and milling flows and by-products. In respect to the contamination with Alternaria toxins, white flour can be considered as relatively safe product. Since Alternaria toxins are concentrated mainly in the peripheral parts of the kernel, a special attention should be given to their content in low-grade flours and milling by-products.

SummarySugar beet leaf spot, caused by the air-borne fungus Cercospora beticola Sacc., leads to a decrease in sugar beet leaf mass and the consequent regrowth of leaves based on exploiting the sugar reserves stored in the plant’s roots, thus ultimately resulting in lower yields and sugar contents of sugar beets. Azoxystrobin belongs to the group of QoI fungicides, which inhibit mitochondrial respiration by blocking cytochrome c reductase. The QoI fungicides are characterized by a very high risk of resistance interfering with their biological activity. For the purpose of testing the azoxystrobin sensitivity of the Cercospora beticola population found at the site of Rimski Šančevi, a collection of 84 isolates was assembled and tested for sensitivity to azoxystrobin by measuring the mycelial growth on fungicide-amended media with the addition of SHAM. The results obtained indicate that none of the isolates tested exhibited complete sensitivity to azoxystrobin, 4% were found to have reduced sensitivity, 26% were moderately resistant and 70% were highly resistant. A higher proportion of resistant isolates recorded is associated with the loss of azoxystrobin biological efficacy at the experimental site.

The present study was conducted on 106 leaf samples of Prunus species (44 plum, 47 myrobalan plum, 10 apricot, 3 peach, 1 blackthorn, and 1 sour cherry) collected from the Vojvodina province of Serbia and assessed for the presence of Plum pox virus (PPV) with the aim of establishing whether trees growing along roadsides and in backyards could be sources of PPV infection in commercial orchards. Analyses confirmed PPV infection in 68.2%, 38.6%, and 20% of plum, myrobalan plum and apricot samples, respectively. The infection level varied considerably across locations, with 80% noted in Uljma, followed by 69% in Sremska Kamenica, 60% in Becej, 50% in Temerin, 50% in Senta, 40% in Petrovaradin, 31% in Novi Sad, 30% in Susek, and 20% in Subotica. As no difference in infection rates was noted between young and older plum trees, the infections seemed to have occurred in their early life stage. Trees growing along roadsides were infected to a higher extent (89.6%) than those in backyards (66.6%). In some cases, symptomless trees were also proven to be PPV positive, indicating that they are a potentially important source of further virus infections. Due to the widespread presence of the virus, tolerant or hypersensitive cultivars are recommended for planting new orchards.