Vinasse effects on the germination of soybean, wheat, and quinoa under controlled conditions

Las vinazas, derivadas de la producción de alcohol (etanol), encierran la posibilidad de ser utilizadas como fuente de agua y nutrientes. En este estudio se investigó el efecto de las vinazas sobre la germinación y alargamiento radicular en tres especies: Glycine max (“soja”), Triticum aestivum (“trigo”) y Chenopodium quinoa (“quinoa”). Se utilizaron vinazas puras y vinazas diluidas (1:1; 1:5; 1:10 y 1:20) tanto a pH ácido (pH 4,5) como a pH neutro. Los resultados demuestran que las vinazas puras inhiben totalmente la germinación en las tres especies utilizadas. En la dilución más baja (1:1) la germinación de soja y quinoa resultaron nulas mientras que en trigo se atrasó y logro un porcentaje de germinación final del 42%. En resumen, los resultados demuestran que con vinazas diluidas (1:5; 1:10 o 1:20) la germinación en las tres especies ensayadas supera el 90% de germinación. Sin embargo, el alargamiento radicular sí resulta afectado y esta afectación es mayor a menor dilución de las vinazas. Se sugiere realizar otros estudios complementarios tanto a nivel de ambientes semicontrolados (invernáculos) como experiencias de campo para evaluar los efectos de las diluciones en los distintos estados fenológicos de las especies estudiadas.Vinasse, derivate from alcohol production (ethanol), has the possibilities of being used as a water and nutrient source. In this first study we researched the vinasse effect on germination and radicle elongation in three species: Glycine max (soybean), Triticum aestivum (wheat), and Chenopodium quinoa (quinoa). Pure or diluted vinasse (1:1; 1:5; 1:10 and 1:20 v/v) was used experiment in acid pH (4.5) and in neutral pH (7.2). Results showed that pure vinasse completely inhibits germination in all the studied species. In the lowest dilution 1:1, soybean and quinoa never germinated. Still, the wheat showed a delay in the germination process and achieved a final percentage of 42%. In the other dilutions (1:5; 1:10 and 1:20) all the species, where both pH ranges were tested, the final germination exceeded 90%. Albeit, radicle elongation was affected in all the treatments with an increasing effect in lower dilutions. We suggest further complementary studies in semi-controlled environment (greenhouses) as well as field experiments to better assess the dilution effect on the different phenological stages of the studied species.Fil: González, Juan Antonio. Fundación Miguel Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Languasco, Paola. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Prado, Fernando Eduardo. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Occurrence of ochratoxin A-producing fungi in grapes grown in Italy

A study was carried out to investigate fungi present on grapes grown in Italy. Aspergillus and Penicillium spp. isolates were identified and studied in vitro, and their ability to produce ochratoxin A (OA) was investigated. The survey involved nine vineyards, three located in northern Italy and six located in southern Italy. In 1999 and 2000, bunches of grapes at different growth stages were collected from all nine vineyards, and berry samples were placed in moist chambers and incubated. The resultant fungal colonies were then transferred to petri dishes containing Czapek yeast agar and incubated at 25 degrees C for 7 days; the fungal isolates were identified and then cultivated in liquid Czapek yeast medium and evaluated for their ability to produce OA. During the survey, 508 isolates were collected, with 477 belonging to Aspergillus spp. and 31 belonging to Penicillium spp. Among the aspergilli, species of the Fumigati, Circumdati, and Nigri sections were identified, with species of the Nigri section (464 isolates) largely predominating; for species of the Nigri section, 108 isolates were uniseriate, 270 were biseriate, and 86 were identified as Aspergillus carbonarius. Black aspergilli isolated over the 2 years of the study showed a very similar pattern. On average, the biseriates represented about 60% of the isolates collected in both years and were followed by uniseriates (21%) and A. carbonarius (19%). The most toxigenic strains proved to be those of A. carbonarius; about 60% of these isolates were OA producers and produced the highest levels of OA. A. carbonarius was more frequent in the south, but in both areas the percentages of OA-producing isolates remained the same

Occurrence of ochratoxin A-producing fungi in grapes grown in Italy

A study was carried out to investigate fungi present on grapes grown in Italy. Aspergillus and Penicillium spp. isolates were identified and studied in vitro, and their ability to produce ochratoxin A (OA) was investigated. The survey involved nine vineyards, three located in northern Italy and six located in southern Italy. In 1999 and 2000, bunches of grapes at different growth stages were collected from all nine vineyards, and berry samples were placed in moist chambers and incubated. The resultant fungal colonies were then transferred to petri dishes containing Czapek yeast agar and incubated at 25 micro C for 7 days; the fungal isolates were identified and then cultivated in liquid Czapek yeast medium and evaluated for their ability to produce OA. During the survey, 508 isolates were collected, with 477 belonging to Aspergillus spp. and 31 belonging to Penicillium spp. Among the aspergilli, species of the Fumigati, Circumdati, and Nigri sections were identified, with species of the Nigri section (464 isolates) largely predominating; for species of the Nigri section, 108 isolates were uniseriate, 270 were biseriate, and 86 were identified as Aspergillus carbonarius. Black aspergilli isolated over the 2 years of the study showed a very similar pattern. On average, the biseriates represented about 60% of the isolates collected in both years and were followed by uniseriates (21%) and A. carbonarius (19%). The most toxigenic strains proved to be those of A. carbonarius; about 60% of these isolates were OA producers and produced the highest levels of OA. A. carbonarius was more frequent in the south, but in both areas the percentages of OA-producing isolates remained the same