Fumonisins and Related Fusarium Species in Pre-harvest Maize Ear Rot in Poland

Two Fusarium species were identified in mouldy maize ears with the highest frequency during 2005–2014 in 7 seasons: F. subglutinans (3.1–42.0%) and F. verticillioides (44.1– 70.3%). Two other species were also found but with lower frequency: F. graminearum (1.0–13.0%) and F. poae (1–45.7%). In 2005 fumonisin FB1, and in 2013 and 2014 three fumonisins (FBs) – FB1, FB2 and FB3 – were identified in harvest samples. The Fusarium-damaged kernel (FDK) fraction contained almost the totality of mycotoxins (90.0–95.0%), while healthy looking kernels (HLK) contained only below 5.0 to 10.0%. Kernels naturally infected by F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum contained (in mg kg−1) up to 710.00 of fumonisin B1, up to 209.72 of fumonisin B2 and up to 35.72 of fumonisin B3.