Cereal Chem 55:1007 - 1013.  |  VIEW ARTICLE
Aflatoxin Contamination of Field Corn: Evaluation of Regional Test Plots for Early Detection.

E. B. Lillehoj, W. F. Kwolek, M. S. Zuber, O. H. Calvert, E. S. Horner, N. W. Widstrom, W. D. Guthrie, G. E. Scott, D. L. Thompson, W. R. Findley, and A. J. Bockholt. Copyright 1978 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Field experiments were performed to provide information on the feasibility of developing a system for early detection of potential aflatoxin contamination in preharvest corn. A commercial hybrid adapted for growth in the South and a hybrid adapted to the Corn Belt were grown at nine diverse locations in the United States. Incidence of aflatoxin during ear development ranged from zero in the Corn Belt samples to 75% in Florida test corn, with no pattern of hybrid difference in toxin occurrence. Incubation of test ears for 7-10 days at 28 C immediately after harvest did not change toxin incidence significantly. Inoculation of Missouri test ears with Aspergillus flavus Link ex Fr. spores 20 days after flowering provided accumulation of 997 ppb of aflatoxin B1 20 days later. Inoculated ears of the regionally nonadapted variety exhibited higher aflatoxin levels than did corn from the adapted hybrid. Weather data from the test locations provided preliminary evidence for association between temperature-precipitation during corn development and the extent of aflatoxin occurrence. Early estimation of aflatoxin in field corn appears to require evaluation of several environmental factors that affect the interaction between developing kernels and corn predators.