Early Appearance of Aflatoxin in Developing Corn Kernels After Inoculation with Aspergillus flavus. D. L. Thompson, Research Agronomist, USDA, ARS, Department of Crop Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27650. G. A. Payne, Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27650; E. B. Lillehoj, Research Microbiologist, SRRC, USDA, ARS, New Orleans, LA 70179; and M. S. Zuber, Professor, Department of Agronomy, University of Missouri, Columbia 65201. Plant Dis. 67:1321-1322. Accepted for publication 26 May 1983. This article is in the public domain and not copyrightable. It may be freely reprinted with customary crediting of the source. The American Phytopathological Society, 1983. DOI: 10.1094/PD-67-1321.

Developing kernels of corn (Zea mays L.) of the cultivar Gaspe × W103 were inoculated with Aspergillus flavus Link ex Fr., grown in four postinoculation regimes, harvested at weekly intervals from 2 to 37 days after inoculation, and assayed for aflatoxin B₁. Aflatoxin B₁ levels averaged 238 ppb 2 days after inoculation and 2,482 ppb for all other dates. Aflatoxin levels were near maximum 9 days after inoculation and accumulations were minimal after that time. There was no evidence of a temperature effect in the range of 13.5–21.5 C thermal units per day.