Toxicity of Fusarium mycotoxins on maize plants

Synergistic effects of Fusarium - toxins mixture (moniliformin, fumonisin B1, fusaproliferin, zearalenone, zearalenol and deoxynivalenol, each at concentration 3.5 μg mL-1) on maize plants of resistant and susceptible cultivars were studied. After 72-hour treatment the biomass production with both cultivars was approximately 6% lower than in the respective controls. In the resistant cultivar chlorophyll content was increased comparing to control, with higher increase in chlorophyll b. In susceptible cultivar chlorophyll content was slightly decreased, particularly with chlorophyll b. No significant differences between treated and non-treated plants were found in the cell ultrastructure. In susceptible plants the young root cells were more vacuolated and plasmolysis occurred in the cells of outer cortex. In leaves of this cultivar also disorganization of thylakoids in some chloroplasts was observed.