Toxicity to ducklings of Fusarium moniliforme isolated from corn intended for use in poultry feed.

Samples of shelled field corn were obtained from producers of poultry feed in Pennsylvania and represented corn grown in 12 counties in Pennsylvania, four counties in Maryland, and one county in Virginia. Corn kernels from each sample were cultured on a medium selective for Fusarium and all cultures recovered were identified to species. The number of colonies of Fusarium species recovered ranged from 1 to 109/sample. Only two samples yielded a low number of colonies of Fusarium species and kernels from these samples were contaminated with other fungi. Fusarium moniliforme was the predominant species recovered followed by F. subglutinans and F. proliferatum. Selected cultures of F. moniliforme, representing all counties from which samples were obtained, were tested for toxicity on ducklings. A total of 25 cultures of F. moniliforme were tested and 24 proved to be toxic to ducklings. The results of the duckling screen indicate the potential for cultures of F. moniliforme present in corn of good quality to be toxigenic.