Mycoflora of high-moisture maize treated with ozone

• Published in: Journal of stored products research 2013-10, Vol.55, p.84-89
• Main Authors: White, S.D., Murphy, P.T., Leandro, L.F., Bern, C.J., Beattie, S.E., van Leeuwen, J. (Hans)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; air; Aspergillus; Biological and medical sciences; Cladosporium; corn; Curvularia; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungal plant pathogens; Fungi; Fusarium; General agronomy. Plant production; Harvesting. Postharvest. Storage; High moisture maize; Mucor; ozonation; Ozone; Penicillium; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Rhizopus; seeds; stored products; Vegetative propagation. Sowing and planting. Harvesting; water content; Zea mays
• ISSN: 0022-474X; 1879-1212
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jspr.2013.08.006

This study evaluated the effectiveness of ozone to reduce the presence of fungi in stored high-moisture maize. Maize at moisture contents of 18, 22 and 26% (wet basis) were treated with air having ozone concentrations of 0, 50, 500, 1000 and 15,000 ppm for 1 h at a flow rate of 0.5 L min−1. After treatment, maize samples were surface disinfected and fungal species – Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Curvularia, Fusarium, Mucor, Penicillium, and Rhizopus – enumerated in the samples. The response to grain moisture content varied with fungal species. The average fungal infections per 100 kernels of maize for the non-ozone treated samples was 14.0 for Aspergillus, 0.6 for Cladosporium, 0.9 for Curvularia, 28.6 for Fusarium, 11.6 for Mucor, 56.9 for Penicillium, and 3.2 for Rhizopus. Ozone at the median concentrations – 500 and 1000 ppm – was most effective in reducing the presence of Aspergillus (p