| Summary: | Chickpeas are a very important legume due to their nutritional richness and high protein content and they are used as food for humans and as fodder for livestock. However, they are susceptible to fungal infections and mycotoxin contamination. The <i>Alternaria</i> genus was among the main fungi isolated from chickpea samples in Argentina. The species within this genus are able to produce several mycotoxins such as alternariol (AOH), alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), and tenuazonic acid (TA). So, the objectives of this study were to identify the <i>Alternaria</i> spp. found in the chickpea samples and to determine their toxigenic potential in vitro. A phylogenetic analysis of 32 <i>Alternaria</i> strains was carried out based on the combined sequences of the <i>tef1</i>, <i>gpd</i>, and <i>Alt a1</i> genes. All <i>Alternaria</i> strains clustered into the section <i>Alternaria</i> and were identified as <i>A. alternata</i> and <i>A. arborescens</i>. Further, the toxigenic profile of each strain was determined in a ground rice–corn steep liquor medium and analysed by HPLC. Most strains were able to co-produce AOH, AME, and TA. These results indicate a potential risk for human health when consuming chickpeas since this legume could be contaminated with <i>Alternaria</i> and its mycotoxins, which are not yet regulated in food.
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