Effect of Species, Fertilization and Harvest Date on Microbial Composition and Mycotoxin Content in Forage

Daria Baholet, Ivana Kolackova, Libor Kalhotka, Jiri Skladanka and Peter Haninec
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Daria Baholet: Mendel University in Brno, Faculty of AgriSciences, Department of Animal Nutrition and Forage Production, Zemedelska 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Ivana Kolackova: Mendel University in Brno, Faculty of AgriSciences, Department of Animal Nutrition and Forage Production, Zemedelska 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Libor Kalhotka: Department of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Zemedelska 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Jiri Skladanka: Mendel University in Brno, Faculty of AgriSciences, Department of Animal Nutrition and Forage Production, Zemedelska 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Peter Haninec: Mendel University in Brno, Faculty of AgriSciences, Department of Animal Nutrition and Forage Production, Zemedelska 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic

Agriculture, 2019, vol. 9, issue 5, 1-9

Abstract: The aim of the project was to evaluate the potential of microbial threat to feed safety in the year 2018. Analyses of the epiphytic community of several forage species (clovers, cocksfoot, fescue, festulolium, perennial ryegrass, timothy and trefoil) in variants of fertilized and non-fertilized vegetation were performed. The hypothesis is based on the fact that microorganisms are normally present on plant material during its growth all the way from the seed to the senescence; they are influenced by a plant’s fitness, and they affect its harvest and utilization. Microflora was analyzed by cultivation on specific substrates, total microbial count and five specific microbial groups were observed and quantified. Forage species did not affect plant microflora. The highest risk factor of microbial contamination of feed was proved to be harvest date. Mycotoxin contamination of fresh feed was determined (deoxynivalenol and zearalenone) using ELISA. Zearalenone (ZEA) levels were negatively correlated to fertilization intensity, although these results were not statistically significant. Deoxynivalenol (DON) levels were the lowest in a moderate fertilization regime. Significant differences in mycotoxin content were found among botanical species.

Keywords: grass; clover; epiphytic microflora; fungi; deoxynivalenol; zearalenone (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: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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