Screening of Maize Germplasm for Reduced Infection by Major Mycotoxigenic Fungi Associated with Fumonisin and Aflatoxin Risk

Abstract

Maize (Zea mays L.) grain quality and food/feed safety are challenged by toxigenic fungi, particularly Fusarium verticillioides and Aspergillus flavus, which are associated with fumonisin and aflatoxin contamination, respectively. Twenty-five maize germplasm lines were evaluated under field conditions during 2024 and 2025 to identify materials with comparatively low kernel infection after artificial inoculation at approximately the silk stage. Kernel infection was assessed at harvest, and year-specific percentages were summarised as two-year arithmetic means. For F. verticillioides, mean infection ranged from 4.43% in Agro Rabi MM-24 to 29.15% in Pratap makka-5; for A. flavus, it ranged from 5.57% in Agro Rabi MM-24 to 32.43% in DHM-121. Under the predefined operational infection classes used in this screening, Agro Rabi MM-24 and Nirmal-51 were resistant to F. verticillioides, while Pratap hybrid maize-3, Nirmal-51, and Agro Rabi MM-24 were resistant to A. flavus. Agro Rabi MM-24 and Nirmal-51 showed the lowest combined infection profiles across the two pathogens. These materials are therefore candidates for broader resistance evaluation and breeding. Because the study measured kernel infection rather than fumonisin or aflatoxin concentration, the results indicate comparatively low fungal infection under the tested conditions and should not be interpreted as direct confirmation of resistance to mycotoxin accumulation.