Epidemiology of toxigenic fungi and their associated mycotoxins for some Mediterranean crops

Recent data on the epidemiology of the common toxigenic species of Fusarium, Alternaria, Aspergillus and Penicillium in infected or colonized plants, and in stored or processed plant products from the Mediterranean area are reviewed. Particular emphasis is placed on the toxigenicity of the causal fungal species and the natural occurrence of well known mycotoxins (aflatoxins, ochratoxins, fumonisins, trichothecenes, zearalenone, patulin, Alternaria-toxins, and moniliformin), as well as some more recently described compounds (fusaproliferin, beauvericin) whose toxigenic potential is not yet well understood. Several Fusarium species reported from throughout the Mediterranean area are responsible of the formation of mycotoxins in infected plants and in plant products, including: F. graminearum, F. culmorum, F. cerealis, F. avenaceum, F. sporotrichioides, F. poae, which produce deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, fusarenone, zearalenone, moniliformin, and T-2 toxin derivatives in wheat and other small grains affected by head blight or scab, and in maize affected by red ear rot. Moreover, F. verticillioides, F. proliferatum, and F. subglutinans strains that form fumonisins, beauvericin, fusaproliferin, and moniliformin are commonly associated with maize affected by ear rot. Fumonisins, are also associated with Fusarium crown and root rot of asparagus and Fusarium endosepsis of figs, caused primarly by F. proliferatum. Toxigenic A. alternata strains and associated tenuazonic acid and alternariols were commonly found in black mold of tomato, black rot of olive and citrus, black point of small cereals, and black mold of several vegetables. Toxigenic strains of A. carbonarius and ochratoxin A commonly were associated with black rot of grapes, whereas toxigenic strains of A. flavus and/or P. verrucosum, forming aflatoxins and ochratoxin A, respectively, were commonly found in molded plant products from small cereals, peanuts, figs, pea, oilseed rape, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pistachios, and almonds. Finaly, toxigenic strains of P. expansum and patulin were frequently found in apple, pear, and other fresh fruits affected by blue mold rot, as well as in derived juices and jams