Detecting Fusarium species from maize seed

In terms of amount of tonnes produced each year, Zea mays also known as maize and corn is the most important crop. Fusarium species are widely distributed and are amongst the most frequently isolated fungal species by plant pathologists and due to the fact that the Fusarium species involved in maize ear rot vary in fungicide sensitivity, pathogenicity as well as in their capability to produce mycotoxins, accurate quantification and identification is of paramount significance. Malachite green agar 2.5 ppm (MGA 2.5) is a potent selective medium for isolation and enumeration of Fusarium spp. In this study, eight different media compositions, potato dextrose agar (PDA), PDA + malachite green oxalate, corn meal agar, PDA + malachite green oxalate, 1% malt agar, carnation leaf agar supplemented with potassium chloride (KCLA), malachite green agar (MGA 2.5) and MGA 2.5 + sterile carnation leaf pieces (MGA 2.5+) were compared using four Fusarium species (F. graminearum, F. proliferatum, F. subglutinans and F. verticillioides) and five commonly encountered saprophytic fungi (Aspergillus niger, Penicillium crustosum, P. digitatum, Trichoderma harzianum and Rhizopus stolonifer).