Temperature Influences on Interactions Among Aflatoxigenic Species of Aspergillus Section Flavi During Maize Colonization.

ABSTRACT: Fungal species within Aspergillus section Flavi contaminate food and feed with aflatoxins. These toxic fungal metabolites compromise human and animal health and disrupt trade. Genotypically and phenotypically diverse species co-infect crops, but temporal and spatial variation in frequencies of different lineages suggests that environmental factors such as temperature may influence structure of aflatoxin-producing fungal communities. Furthermore, though most species within Aspergillus section Flavi produce sclerotia, divergent sclerotial morphologies (small or S-type sclerotia vs. large or L-type sclerotia) and differences in types and quantities of aflatoxins produced suggest lineages are adapted to different life strategies. Temperature is a key parameter influ

SUBMITTER: Ching'anda C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10512225 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature