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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Crop Bioprotection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #69259
Title: CHARACTERIZATION OF THE ASPERGILLUS FLAVUS POPULATION WITHIN AN ILLINOIS CORN FIELD

Author
item Wicklow, Donald
item McAlpin, Cesaria
item Probyn, Crystal

Submitted to: American Phytopathological Society Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/31/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: An evaluation was made of the genetic diversity (DNA fingerprinting) of 265 A. flavus strains isolated from grain sampled at harvest (91 genotypes/124 strains), field soil (26 genotypes/31 strains), corn insects (49 genotypes/52 strains) and air-spora (56 genotypes/58 strains), from a corn field near Kilbourne, Illinois. Several genotypes were isolated from grain samples collected in different years. Genotype #36, isolated from three corn samples, matched the DNA fingerprint of a K.E. Papa strain from Georgia, NRRL 19997. Ninety five percent of the A. flavus genotypes produced sclerotia but only 52% of the genotypes produced aflatoxin. Contrasts of DNA fingerprints revealed two (2) matches involving subpopulations from grain and soil, one (1) match for grain and corn insects, and no matches for corn and air-spora. The high genotypic diversity recorded for each subpopulation, in addition to a limited sample size, precluded any assessment of the importance of these subpopulations as sources of A. flavus infective inoculum. Aspergillus parasiticus was also routinely isolated from soil samples.