Effect of different storage conditions on the mycotoxin contamination of Fusarium culmorum-infected and non-infected wheat straw

Abstract

Mycotoxins are known to affect the health and performance of farm animals. In contrast to cereal grains, the straw is only rarely analysed for mycotoxins, although contaminated straw could additionally expose farm animals to mycotoxins. For this reason, two experiments were carried out to examine the effect of pre-harvest Fusarium infection (inoculation with F. culmorum) and different storage conditions on the mycotoxin concentrations in straw. In the first experiment, both the inoculated and the identically cultivated control straw were stored in rectangular bales either in a barn or outdoors for a time period of 32 weeks (farm-scale experiment). The second experiment was aimed to examine the mycotoxin concentrations during storage under controlled conditions in a temperature-controlled climatic chamber, with target dry matter contents of 86%, 82% and 78% using 1.5-l preservation jars (laboratory-scale experiment). While the concentration of deoxynivalenol and its derivates decreased in the farm-scale experiment when inoculated straw was stored outdoors, the zearalenone concentration increased within the same time period. The latter effect was also detected for the control straw. These opposite effects were probably caused by the massive water uptake during the outdoor storage. The only effect we observed in the laboratory-scale experiment with dry matter contents between 78% and 86% was a more pronounced decrease of the 3-acetyl-deoxynivalenol concentrations in the inoculated straw with increasing moisture contents.

Characterisation of the Mycobiota on the Shell Surface of Table Eggs Acquired from Different Egg-Laying Hen Breeding Systems

“…Moreover, the diversity of the fungal population differed according to the egg-laying hen housing system. The fungal species present on the eggshell surface may occur in the environment of the henhouse [ 9 ].…”

“…In the deep litter indoor housing system, the contamination is usually caused by moist litter or dirty nests. Researchers studying different types of litter found that it contained fungi from Aspergillus , Cladosporium , Drechslera , Penicillium , Stemphylium and Fusarium genera [ 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Straw chaff was found to be the most contaminated as its CFU/g was the highest (28.49 log CFU/g).…”

Fusarium culmorum: causal agent of foot and root rot and head blight on wheat

“…Yield and quality losses are particularly important when F. culmorum induces FHB, which develops from infection at anthesis and spreads until grain harvest, causing grain contamination with mycotoxins, such as type B trichothecenes, zearalenone and fusarins (Hope et al, 2005;Jennings et al, 2004;Kammoun et al, 2010;Lacey et al, 1999;Placinta et al, 1999;Rohweder et al, 2011;Visconti and Pascale, 2010). The sesquiterpene epoxide trichothecenes are considered to be the most bioactive compounds produced by F. culmorum.…”

Deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, and Fusarium graminearum contamination of cereal straw; field distribution; and sampling of big bales

“…Because the sampling was carried out only a few days after harvest, except for the stored oat straw, it suggests that the measured straw concentrations of mycotoxins were most likely present at the time of harvest. In experimental studies, Rohweder et al ( 2011 ) observed decreased DON levels and increased ZEN levels when inoculated straw was stored outdoors for longer periods. No kernel contamination in the collected straw samples was observed.…”