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 spectro-photometry, thin layer chromatography (TLC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC). Results showed that from 19 Fusarium strains in which cultures trichothe-cene 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 μg/l ICI medium), 5 Fusarium strains were intermediate-level producers (ranged from 1 to 10 μg/l ICI medium) and one Fusarium strain produced 240 μg/l ICI medium. The identified Fusarium strains that produced trichothecenes and fusarin C were F. moniliforme and F. oxysporum.