Detection of Fusarium species that produce Fumonisin b1 in maize kernels using molecular methods

Eighty eight Maize grains samples were collected between November 2013 and May 2014 from local markets and silo of Baghdad city. The aim of study was to identification of Fusarium species which associated with maize kernels and their ability to produce FB1 by using traditional and molecular methods. The results revealed that eight fungal genera found in maize samples as follow: Aspergillus (58.6 %) was predominant fungus followed by Fusarium (17.5%) and then Rhizopus (6.8 %), Alternaria (6.1 %), Mucor and Penicillium (3.9 %), Bipolaris (1.9 %), and Trichothecium (1.2%). The predominant species among Fusarium genera was F. verticillioides (70.64%) followed by F. proliferatum (8.26%). Specie specific PCR reactions revealed that out of seventy seven isolates only thirteen isolates belong to F. verticillioides and out of nine isolates only one isolate belong to F. proliferatum. All the thirteen F. verticillioides isolates possess fum1 gene, while absent in F. proliferatum.