Aflatoxin contamination of maize in Thailand 1. Effects of preharvest inoculation with Aspergillus flavua onto maize ears

Abstract

Maize ears were inoculated with spores of Aspergillus flavus in the field. The inoculations were carried out by two methods either with physical damage or without physical damage during the developing period of maize kernels. Only from the physically damaged group, high amounts of aflatoxins were detected. The fungal infection developed quickly along with the production of aflatoxins, although the amounts of aflatoxins in the maize kernels decreased about 5 weeks after the inoculation.