The Role of Nitrogen Fertilization on the Occurrence of Regulated, Modified and Emerging Mycotoxins and Fungal Metabolites in Maize Kernels
The European Food Safety Authority is currently evaluating the risks related to the presence of emerging mycotoxins in food and feeds. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of soil fertility, resulting from different nitrogen fertilization rates, on the contamination of regulated mycotox...
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MDPI AG
2022-06-01
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author | Valentina Scarpino Michael Sulyok Rudolf Krska Amedeo Reyneri Massimo Blandino |
author_facet | Valentina Scarpino Michael Sulyok Rudolf Krska Amedeo Reyneri Massimo Blandino |
author_sort | Valentina Scarpino |
collection | DOAJ |
description | The European Food Safety Authority is currently evaluating the risks related to the presence of emerging mycotoxins in food and feeds. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of soil fertility, resulting from different nitrogen fertilization rates, on the contamination of regulated mycotoxins and emerging fungal metabolites in maize grains. The trial was carried out in the 2012–2013 growing seasons as part of a long-term (20-year) experimental platform area in North-West Italy, where five different N rates, ranging from 0 to 400 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup>, were applied to maize each year. Maize samples were analyzed by means of a dilute-and-shoot multi-mycotoxin LC-MS/MS method, and more than 25 of the most abundant mycotoxins and fungal metabolites were detected. Contamination by fumonisins and other fungal metabolites produced by <i>Fusarium</i> spp. of the section <i>Liseola</i> was observed to have increased in soils that showed a poor fertility status. On the other hand, an overload of nitrogen fertilization was generally associated with higher deoxynivalenol and zearalenone contamination in maize kernels, as well as a higher risk of other fungal metabolites produced by <i>Fusarium</i> spp. sections <i>Discolor</i> and <i>Roseum</i>. A balanced application of N fertilizer, in accordance with maize uptake, generally appears to be the best solution to guarantee an overall lower contamination by regulated mycotoxins and emerging fungal metabolites. |
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spelling | doaj.art-e61c94abadb44ce0a03e0021d68890882023-11-30T22:01:16ZengMDPI AGToxins2072-66512022-06-0114744810.3390/toxins14070448The Role of Nitrogen Fertilization on the Occurrence of Regulated, Modified and Emerging Mycotoxins and Fungal Metabolites in Maize KernelsValentina Scarpino0Michael Sulyok1Rudolf Krska2Amedeo Reyneri3Massimo Blandino4Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), Università degli Studi di Torino, Largo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, TO, ItalyCenter for Analytical Chemistry, Department of Agrobiotechnology (IFA-Tulln), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Konrad-Lorenz-Str. 20, 3430 Tulln, AustriaCenter for Analytical Chemistry, Department of Agrobiotechnology (IFA-Tulln), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Konrad-Lorenz-Str. 20, 3430 Tulln, AustriaDepartment of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), Università degli Studi di Torino, Largo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, TO, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), Università degli Studi di Torino, Largo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, TO, ItalyThe European Food Safety Authority is currently evaluating the risks related to the presence of emerging mycotoxins in food and feeds. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of soil fertility, resulting from different nitrogen fertilization rates, on the contamination of regulated mycotoxins and emerging fungal metabolites in maize grains. The trial was carried out in the 2012–2013 growing seasons as part of a long-term (20-year) experimental platform area in North-West Italy, where five different N rates, ranging from 0 to 400 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup>, were applied to maize each year. Maize samples were analyzed by means of a dilute-and-shoot multi-mycotoxin LC-MS/MS method, and more than 25 of the most abundant mycotoxins and fungal metabolites were detected. Contamination by fumonisins and other fungal metabolites produced by <i>Fusarium</i> spp. of the section <i>Liseola</i> was observed to have increased in soils that showed a poor fertility status. On the other hand, an overload of nitrogen fertilization was generally associated with higher deoxynivalenol and zearalenone contamination in maize kernels, as well as a higher risk of other fungal metabolites produced by <i>Fusarium</i> spp. sections <i>Discolor</i> and <i>Roseum</i>. A balanced application of N fertilizer, in accordance with maize uptake, generally appears to be the best solution to guarantee an overall lower contamination by regulated mycotoxins and emerging fungal metabolites.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/14/7/448aurofusarinbeauvericinbikaverinculmorindeoxynivalenoldeoxynivalenol-3-glucoside |
spellingShingle | Valentina Scarpino Michael Sulyok Rudolf Krska Amedeo Reyneri Massimo Blandino The Role of Nitrogen Fertilization on the Occurrence of Regulated, Modified and Emerging Mycotoxins and Fungal Metabolites in Maize Kernels Toxins aurofusarin beauvericin bikaverin culmorin deoxynivalenol deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside |
title | The Role of Nitrogen Fertilization on the Occurrence of Regulated, Modified and Emerging Mycotoxins and Fungal Metabolites in Maize Kernels |
title_full | The Role of Nitrogen Fertilization on the Occurrence of Regulated, Modified and Emerging Mycotoxins and Fungal Metabolites in Maize Kernels |
title_fullStr | The Role of Nitrogen Fertilization on the Occurrence of Regulated, Modified and Emerging Mycotoxins and Fungal Metabolites in Maize Kernels |
title_full_unstemmed | The Role of Nitrogen Fertilization on the Occurrence of Regulated, Modified and Emerging Mycotoxins and Fungal Metabolites in Maize Kernels |
title_short | The Role of Nitrogen Fertilization on the Occurrence of Regulated, Modified and Emerging Mycotoxins and Fungal Metabolites in Maize Kernels |
title_sort | role of nitrogen fertilization on the occurrence of regulated modified and emerging mycotoxins and fungal metabolites in maize kernels |
topic | aurofusarin beauvericin bikaverin culmorin deoxynivalenol deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/14/7/448 |
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