Occurrence of Fumonisin B1 in Maize Grown in Costa Rica

Fusarium moniliforme is one of the most frequent fungal pathogens found in corn. Samples of corn grown in three different regions of Costa Rica were collected and analyzed for the presence of fumonisins, metabolites produced by F. moniliforme. Results indicate that fumonisin B1 was present in 89% of the samples. Maize grown in Costa Rica is therefore contaminated with fumonisin B1, and contamination depends on geographical region and period of collection. Microbiological analysis revealed the presence of F. moniliforme-type isolates in 86% of the maize samples. Average levels of fumonisin B1 per regionBrunca, Huetar Norte, and Huetar Atlanticawere 2.50, 3.58, and 1.81 ppm, respectively. Mean fumonisin B1 values were 2.13 ppm with a minimum of 0.00 ppm and a maximum of 6.32 ppm. Maize from the Huetar Atlantica region showed significantly (a = 0.05) higher levels of F. moniliforme-type isolates than maize from the Brunca and Huetar Norte regions. Keywords: Fumonisin; maize; Costa Rica