Alternaria toxins in weather-damaged wheat and sorghum in the 1995-1996 Australian harvest

Abstract

Weather-damaged wheat from northern New South Wales in 1995-96 was heavily infected with the fungus Alternaria alternata. The mycotoxins tenuazonic acid, alternariol, and alternariol monomethyl ether were detected at low levels which corresponded with the degree of A. alternata infection and the geographical location. Sorghum and undamaged wheat from the same region also showed moderate levels of A. alternata infection and low levels of tenuazonic acid but none of the other toxins. These mycotoxins were not found in weather-damaged wheat from other areas of Australia where the primary infection was by A. infectoria rather than A. alternata.