GMOs and Corn Mycotoxins

Corn grain can be naturally contaminated by mycotoxins, natural toxins produced by fungi.  Though most Kentucky corn crops are free of mycotoxins, fumonisins are the most common threat.  These toxins affect a number of animal species, but horses and pigs are among the most sensitive. Aflatoxins are generally very uncommon in Kentucky, but when they occur, they can cause serious disruption to grain marketing.  Both mycotoxin families pose health risks to humans.  

Figure 1. Fusarium ear rot of corn, usually associated with fumonisin contamination.

Mycotoxins and Aflatoxins Resource Page

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky

Trichoderma.
Photo: Paul Vincelli

Mycotoxins, and specifically, aflatoxins are a concern in corn this fall. There are some reports of harvested loads of corn being rejected because of high levels of mycotoxins.

There are a lot resources to discuss sampling, testing and feeding of corn with mycotoxins. We have put those items together into the Drought 2012 page on the Grain Crops Extension website.

Some of the highlighted links are listed below as well:

• Aflatoxins in corn, ID-159
• Laboratories that Test for Mycotoxin Analysis
• Commercially Avaialable Test Kits for Mycotoxin Detection
• Scouting corn for Aspergillus Ear Rot
• Fusarium ear rot and fumonisins
• Fumonisin, Vomitoxin, and Other Mycotxins... ID-121
• Aflatoxins in Corn, Oct. 20, 2010
• Harvesting and Storing Kentucky's 2012 Corn Crop
• Effect of Mycotoxins on Swine (Univ. of Minnesota)
• Mycotoxins in Feeds: CVM's Perspective (FDA)
• Mycotoxin and Dairy Cattle
• Utilization of Weather-Stressed Feedstuffs in Swine Diets
• Mycotoxins and Swine Performance