MINIMISING OF CONTAMINATION OF AFLATOXIGENIC FUNGI AND SUBSEQUENT AFLATOXIN DEVELOPMENT IN FIG ORCHARDS BY FUNGICIDES

This study examined the protection of dried figs from aflatoxins produced by A. flavus and A. parasiticus by fungicides. Seven antifungal agents (copper oxychloride, mancozeb, benomyl, captan, thiram, chlorothalonil, and prochloraz) were tested for inhibitory activity against 14 isolates of aflatoxigenic fungi both in laboratory and pot conditions. In the field trials, the fungicides with the greatest activity were applied in three different programs. Maturation stages were taken into consideration for application time and type. The first and second treatment types were as tree and soil applications at wintering and budding stages, respectively, to reduce possible fungal sources on the trees. In sequence, the third treatment at fruiting, the fourth at ripening, and the fifth at shriveling were applied only to the soil under the trees where dried figs dropped, to eradicate the soil-borne fungi that are mostly present in the top soil level. The sixth treatment was applied to both the soil surface of the drying place and to the storage room before the fruits were stored.

The amount of aflatoxin was determined from the dried figs harvested from both fungicide treated and untreated trees by HPLC. All fungicide programs successfully reduced aflatoxin contamination in dried figs below the maximum tolerance limits of most countries.