Detection of fusarin C and trichothecenes in Fusarium strains from Spain.

A group of 49 strains of Fusarium sp. isolated from different Spanish samples of cereals and mixed feedstuffs were screened for their ability to produce trichothecenes like T-2 toxin (T-2), HT-2 toxin (HT-2), diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS) and deoxynivalenol (DN), as well as other mycotoxin produced by Fusarium named fusarin C. The production of these mycotoxins was analyzed by means of spectrophotometry, thin layer chromatography (TLC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC). Results showed that from 19 Fusarium strains in which cultures trichothecene production was detected, 15 were HT-2 producers, 9 T-2 producers, 14 DAS producers and 10 DN producers. On the other hand, from 28 Fusarium strains in which cultures fusarin C production was detected, 22 were low fusarin C producers (ranged from 0.04 to 1 microgram/l ICI medium), 5 Fusarium strains were intermediate-level producers (ranged from 1 to 10 micrograms/l ICI medium) and one Fusarium strain produced 240 micrograms/l ICI medium. The identified Fusarium strains that produced trichothecenes and fusarin C were F. moniliforme and F. oxysporum.