Co-Inoculation of Aflatoxigenic and Non-Aflatoxigenic Strains of Aspergillus flavus to Assess the Efficacy of Non-Aflatoxigenic Strains in Growth Inhibition and Aflatoxin B 1 Reduction

Rahim Khan, Farinazleen Mohamad Ghazali, Nor Ainy Mahyudin and Nik Iskandar Putra Samsudin
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Rahim Khan: Department of Food Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Farinazleen Mohamad Ghazali: Department of Food Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Nor Ainy Mahyudin: Department of Food Service and Management, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Nik Iskandar Putra Samsudin: Department of Food Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Agriculture, 2021, vol. 11, issue 3, 1-11

Abstract: The pre-harvest biocontrol approach currently used includes laboratory inoculations using non-aflatoxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus . This strategy effectively suppresses the indigenous aflatoxigenic strains and reduces aflatoxin accumulation in sweetcorn. The current in vitro study’s main objective is to determine the diametric growth rates of both Aflatoxin (AF) + and AF − strains and improve the understanding of competitive relationships among these strains in sweetcorn ( Zea mays ). Sweetcorn kernels inoculated with AF + strains only, AF − strains only, and co-inoculated with AF + + AF − strains were investigated for aflatoxin concentrations. The diametric growth results revealed that growth rates of AF − strains at 25 and 30 °C were much greater than AF + strains, which was in line with previous studies. The in vitro findings showed that the AKR5 − and AKL34 − biocontrol strains effectively inhibited the colony propagation and subsequent AFB 1 contamination (up to 79%) of AF + strains. On the other hand, the AKR1 − and AKL35 − were least effective in reducing AFB 1 contents only by 58% and 60%, respectively. There was a significant difference ( p < 0.05) in the reduction of AFB 1 contents achieved by AF − strains of A. flavus . The findings of the present study indicated the reduction in AFB 1 with population expressions of AF + strains by the AF − strains and supports the notion of competitive exclusion through vigorous development and propagation of the non-aflatoxigenic fungi.

Keywords: sweetcorn; Aspergillus flavus; biocontrol; fungal competition; AFB 1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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