XVI International Botanical Congess

Consumption of food and feed by human and animals infected with mycotoxin (secondary metabolite) producing fungi may adversely affect the genetic material. To detect genotoxic/clastogenic/mutagenic potential of this group of fungi, the effect of culture filtrate of Aspergillus flavus MAN-15 and Fusarium Oxysporum BIR - 3 isolated from rice substrate was studied on the chromosome of root meristem of Hordeum Vulgare K 1149 and bone marrow of Mus musculus. Both culture filtrates have demonstrated the induction of chromosomal aberrations like gaps, fragments, di-centrics, bridges, stickiness and inhibition of Mitotic index similar to that induce by synthetic Aflatoxin B1 and Zearalenone in both plant and animal genetic system. TLC analysis of culture filtrate revealed the presence of Aflatoxin B1 in isolate MAN-15 and Zearalenone in isolate BIR - 3. These results clearly demonstrate gentoxic potency of Aspergillus Flavus and Fusarium Oxysporum in natural form.