Alternaria alternata from oilseed rape: mycotoxin production, and toxicity toArtemia salina larvae and rape seedlings.

A survey, carried out in Southern Italy on fungi colonizing oilseed rape (Brassicae napua L subspoleifera DC) in the field, showedAlternaria alternata (Fries) Keissler as one of the predominant species. 11 strains ofAlternaria alternata isolated from oilseed rape were cultured on rice to test the ability to produce mycotoxins. All strains produced mycotoxins, including tenuazonic acid (up to 12,000mg/kg), alternariol (up to 200mg/kg), alternariol mortomethyl ether (up to 200mg/kg), altertoxin-l (2 to 250mg/kg), and altertoxin-ll (2 to 70mg/kg). Culture extracts containing tenuazonic acid were toxic toArtemia salina and inhibited seedling growth of oilseed rape. Little or no activity with the same bioassays was shown by culture extracts containing the remaining mycotoxins. No mycotoxins were detected in 16 samples of oilseed rape from processing factories.