INTERACTION OF FUSARIUM-MONILIFORME AND ASPERGILLUS-FLAVUS ON KERNEL INFECTION AND AFLATOXIN CONTAMINATION IN MAIZE EARS

Fusarium moniliforme is frequently recovered from symptomless maize kernels from ears inoculated in the field with Aspergillus flavus in Mississippi. When maize ears were inoculated simultaneously with F. moniliforme and A. flavus or with A. flavus alone in 1990, significantly fewer kernels were infected with A. flavus in ears inoculated with both fungi than kernels from ears inoculated with A. flavus alone. Grain from ears inoculated with both fungi had significantly less aflatoxin than grain from ears inoculated with A. flavus alone in two tests in 1990. Inoculation of ears with A. flavus alone in 1989 resulted in significantly more natural infection of kernels by F. moniliforme. In contrast, percentages of natural infection of kernels by A. flavus in ears inoculated with F. moniliforme alone and in uninoculated ears were both low and did not differ significantly. Apparently, F. moniliforme can inhibit kernel infection by A. flavus in inoculated maize ears and lead to reduced aflatoxin contamination in these kernels.