Abstract
Two monoclonal antibodies KTM-205-POD and KTM-240-POD which are highly specific to 3,4,15-triacetyl-NIV (TANIV) and TANIV + 3,15-diacetyl-DON (DADON), respectively, were used for the determination of nivalenol (NIV) and deoxynivalenol (DON) production by Fusarium spp. Sixteen strains of F. graminearum isolated from wheat and barley grains were cultured on polished rice substrate. NIV, DON and their acetylated derivatives present in the culture extract were partially acetylated into TANIV and DADON, respectively, before direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results determined by ELISA, expressed as NIV and DON equivalents, were subsequently confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The correlation between the two methods for concentrations of total NIV and total DON was r2 = 0.9875 (p<0.001). The results show that ELISA, at a cut-off limit of 25 mg/kg, can be used as a rapid and simple method for the screening of NIV- and DON-producing strains of F. graminearum.
