Effects of Treflan Herbicide on the Growth and Aflatoxin Production of Aspergillus parasiticus NRRL 2999

Authors: Müge Yousefi RAD, Nilüfer AKSÖZ

Abstract: In this research, the effect of treflan herbicide on the growth and aflatoxin production of Aspergillus parasiticus NRRL 2999, in synthetic media was determined. For this purpose treflan was added into media at 0, 5, 1 0, 20 ppm concentrations. After incubation, it was determined that, although 5 ppm treflan increased the growth 4% and toxin production 8.45% other concentrations of the herbicide, in contrast, had an inhibitory effect both for growth and toxin production. In the second step of the research, treflan, in same concentrations, this time was added into the spore suspensions of the fungus strain and were incubated up to 30 days. After this incubation period, teh abilitiy of these spores for germination and aflatoxin production were tested. When spores were treated up to 8 days with 5 and 1 O ppm herbisit concentrations the toxin production ability of the fungus increased. It was shown that treatment with 20 ppm for 4 days also gave the same result.

Keywords: Aspergillus parasiticus, aflatoxin, herbicide