ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Fungi Presence and their Mycotoxin Distribution
in Asparagus Spears
Zbigniew Karolewski1, Agnieszka Waśkiewicz2, Lidia Irzykowska1, Jan Bocianowski3,
Marian Kostecki2, Piotr Goliński2, Mikołaj Knaflewski4, Zbigniew Weber1
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1Department of Phytopathology, Poznań University of Life Sciences,
Dąbrowskiego 159, 60-594 Poznań, Poland
2Department of Chemistry, Poznań University of Life Sciences,
Wojska Polskiego 75, 60-625 Poznań, Poland
3Department of Mathematical and Statistical Methods, Poznań University of Life Sciences,
Wojska Polskiego 28, 60-637 Poznań, Poland
4Department of Vegetable Crops, Poznań University of Life Sciences,
Dąbrowskiego 159, 60-594 Poznań, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2011;20(4):911-918
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Fusarium oxysporum, F. proliferatum, F. culmorum, F. heterosporum, and F. solani were detected in
asparagus spears. Identification based on morphology of F. proliferatum and F. oxysporum was confirmed by
PCR with species-specific primers. The incidence of Fusarium colonization was the highest in the basal epidermal
tissue of spears. The studies revealed high levels of MON and low levels of FB1 in spears infected by
F. oxysporum. There was no association between F. proliferatum occurrence and FB1 or MON presence.
Mycotoxins were found in spears with and without the disease symptoms, originating from Poznań and Świdwowiec,
although fungi were common only in spears from the second location. However, in healthy spears the
mycotoxin concentrations were low or undetectable. The presence of mycotoxins in uninfected spears may suggest
their transport through vascular tissue from possible sources such as crowns and roots to spears.