In vitro control of growth and fumonisin production by Fusarium verticillioides and Fusarim proliferatum using chitosan under different water availabitily.

FERROCHIO L.; CENDOYA E.; MASSAD W.; RAMIREZ M.L.

Roterdam

Conferencia; 7th Conference of The World Mycotoxin Forum y XIII the IUPAC International Symposium on Mycotoxins and Phycotoxins; 2012

WMF and IUPAC

The use of natural bioactive substances for the control mycotoxigenic fungi in cereals grains has attracted attention due to problems associated with chemical agents. These include environmental pollution, chemical residues in food products and the development of fungal species resistant to chemical treatments. The study and utilization of antifungal compounds obtained from natural sources to replace synthetic fungicides are in progress. Chitosan, a natural polycationic polysaccharide obtained by the deacetylation of chitin from crustacean shells, is non-toxic, biodegradable and biocompatible. Chitosan exhibits antifungal properties and represents an alternative to the use of chemical substances for pest control. The objectives of the present investigation were to determine the efficacy of chitosan (0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 mg/ml) under different interacting water availability (0.995, 0.99, 0.98, 0.96 and 0.93) at 25 ºC on the growth rate of and fumonisin production by F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum isolated from Argentinian maize. In general the presence of chitosan affect growth and fumonisin production, and this effect was dependant of the dose used and aW treatment. Chitosan increased the lag phase, and reduced the growth rate of both Fusarium species significantly at all concentration used, especially at 0.93 aW. Also, significantly reduced the production of fumonisin by both Fusarium species, especially at 3.0 mg/ml and 0.93 aW. The information obtained in the present study suggests that chitosan show promise for controlling both growth of and fumonisin production by isolates of F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum over a range of environmental regime