Experimental studies on the field-dried Thai maize inoculated with Aspergillus flavus

Abstract

Moisture contents of maize kernels varied from 30.7 to 16.8%, depending on the harvesting times. Inoculated Aspergillus flavus failed to grow in the kernels of which the moisture content was less than 17%. The kernels of which initial moisture contents were about 21-31% were allowed to accumulate aflatoxins within a short time after the inoculation, and the toxin level was highest in the kernels harvested at 113 days after planting. From the field, airborne A. flavus was rarely detected. On the soil in maize field, the earlier in harvesting time, the more A, flavus was detected (max. 2, 180 cfu/g of the soil).