Stress responses on the growth and mycotoxin biosynthesis of Fusarium proliferatum associated with stored poultry feeds

Animal and poultry feeds majorly constitutes of cereal grains and their by-products representing an excellent substrate for fungal colonization and mycotoxin contamination. Additionally, ecological factors play a crucial role in the process of fungal colonization in stored food/feed material. Here, we propose the physiological behavior of Fusarium proliferatum MYS9 in response to the combinational effects of different abiotic factors such as light, temperature, solutes and relative humidity. Red and blue spectral lights had stimulating effect on the growth and biomass and also Fumonisin B1 production recording 141.60 mu g and 69.77 mu g/g feed, respectively. The radial growth and biomass formation of F. proliferatum declined with the increasing ionic solute potential while the non-ionic solute potential showed an irregular pattern of growth and biomass. The room temperature (28 degrees C) showed maximum colony diameter (7.78 cm), biomass (1.32 g per 50 mL medium) and FB1 biosynthesis (913.25 mu g/g feed). A significant radial growth was observed at 96% relative humidity and a high biomass of 0.82 g per 50 mL medium was observed at 98% humidity. A maximum growth of the fungus was observed at 28 degrees C in combination of-51.02 bars of osmotic pressure while the lower and higher temperature ranges with high osmotic pressures restricted the growth. The present study provides useful data facilitating a better understanding of the influence of ecological factors on fungal growth and toxin production in feeds and help to optimize storage measures and prevention strategies.