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Fumonisins in Maize in Relation to Climate, Planting Time and Hybrids in Two Agroecological Zones in Zambia

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Abstract

Field experiments in the high rainfall zone (HRZ) and the medium rainfall zone (MRZ) in Zambia were designed to determine the natural occurrence of fumonisins (FB1–2) in Zambian maize hybrids, accumulation of FB1–2 resulting from artificial inoculation with Fusarium verticillioides and effects of climate and planting time on FB1–2 in maize. Combined FB1–2 concentrations varied from 0 to 13,050 ng/g, with an overall mean of 666 ng/g. Maize from the HRZ had low incidences of FB1–2-positive samples (mean 41%) which contained FB1–2 below 500 ng/g. In the MRZ, higher incidences (mean 97%) and concentrations (40% of samples >1,000 ng/g) were recorded in two out of three years. There was no correlation between mean location FB1–2 concentrations in individual years and precipitation, number of rain days or monthly precipitation. Postponing the planting time with 10 or 20 days did not significantly affect FB1–2 concentration, but it reduced the yields in some years.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Dr. L. D. Ristanovic, Golden Valley Regional Research Station, Chisamba, Zambia, for help with the field experiments. We thank Dr. Olav A. Høibø and Dr. Geir I. Vestøl, Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University for Life Sciences, Ås, Norway, for statistical advice and Professor W. F. Marasaas, Programme on Mycotoxins and Experimental Carcinogenesis, Medical Research Council, South Africa, for helpful discussions. This research was supported by The Norwegian Research Council and the Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Christian Magnus Falsens vei 18, 1432, Ås, Norway

    Johanne E. Schjøth & Leif Sundheim

  2. Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council, Via Amendola 122/O, I-70126, Bari, Italy

    Angelo Visconti

  3. Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research, Høgskoleveien 7, 1432, Ås, Norway

    Leif Sundheim

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  1. Johanne E. Schjøth
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  2. Angelo Visconti
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  3. Leif Sundheim
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Correspondence to Leif Sundheim.

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Schjøth, J.E., Visconti, A. & Sundheim, L. Fumonisins in Maize in Relation to Climate, Planting Time and Hybrids in Two Agroecological Zones in Zambia. Mycopathologia 167, 209–219 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-008-9166-4

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