Journal of Plant Pathology & Microbiology

Abstract

Screening of Penicillium from Arachis hypogea and its Mycotoxin Production

Padma Singh and Richa Prasad

Seed infections by Penicillium not only reduce seed quality but also make nuts unsafe for human consumption. Direct plate method using CDA (Czapek Dox Agar) medium was employed for isolation of Penicillium, the total no. of colony forming (CFU) units observed in the plate were 13. Penicillium strain was identified by Lactophenol cotton blue staining. The Penicillium was inoculated into CD broth to measure its growth as well as mycotoxin production at different duration as 5, 10, 15, 20 days. Paper chromatography was used to identify amino acid in metabolite as Histidine. Mycotoxin production was confirmed by Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) and a spot was identified, which was blue in visible light and faint blue under UV light. This indicated the presence of Aflatoxin B2 in culture metabolite when compared with standard. ELISA was also performed to assess the presence of antibodies against fungus and also used for the detection of mycotoxin level in culture metabolite. From the standard curve, it was observed that serum sample had no antibodies for Penicillium and the patient was free from the infection of Penicillium as the level of mycotoxin in culture metabolite was low.