Controlo alternativo da mosca branca na cultura do tomateiro

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Phytosanitary problems of maize, peanuts and cassava flakes (tapioca) stored by smallholder farmers in Southern Mozambique

Publication . Sitoe, Márcio Daniel; Mexia, António Maria Marques; Magro, Ana Maria Da Costa Aldir; Mondjana, Ana Maria Da Graça

In this study, the phytosanitary problems of maize, peanuts and cassava flakes (tapioca) stored by smallholder farmers in southern Mozambique were analyzed. Specifically, it aimed to (i) evaluate the contamination by fungi and aflatoxins in maize, peanuts and cassava flakes stored by smallholder farmers, and (ii) assess farmer´s perception of maize and peanuts contamination by insects, fungi, and mycotoxins and their possible relationship with the occurrence of diseases in the family. To study the health status of maize grains, peanuts and cassava flakes, samples were obtained from rural properties. The perception study regarding the occurrence of diseases related to the ingestion of mycotoxins was based on interviews with 384 smallholder farmers. The fungi isolated were Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Fusarium sp., Penicillium citrinum, Penicillium paxilli, Rhizophus sp., and Trichoderma sp., in maize grains, Aspergillus sp., A. flavus, A. niger, Fusarium sp., Penicillium sp., and P. citrinum, in peanut grains and, Aspergillus sp., Aspergillus candidus, Aspergillus clavatus, A. flavus, A. niger, Aspergillus terreus, Chaetomium sp., Eurotium sp., Eurotium chevalieri, Eurotium proliferans, Eurotium repens, Penicillium sp., P. citrinum, Penicillium funiculosum, and Penicillium variable in cassava flakes. In addition to A. flavus known as aflatoxin producer, the isolated fungi, namely, A. candidus, A. terreus and P. citrinum, are related to citrinin production, A. clavatus and A. terreus to patulin, A. niger to citrinin and ochratoxin A, and P. paxilli to paxilline. The occurrence of P. citrinum, P. paxilli and Trichoderma sp., from maize, P. citrinum from peanuts and A. candidus, A. terreus, Chaetomium sp., E. chevalieri, E. proliferans, E. repens, P. citrinum, P. funiculosum and P. variable from cassava flakes, is reported for the first time in Mozambique. In the tested samples, the level of aflatoxin contamination was higher than the 4 μg/kg allowed by the European Union in all the samples, while contamination higher than the 10 μg/kg allowed by the Codex Alimentarius was observed in 66.66% of the samples. The farmers associate images of food contaminated by mycotoxins with fungi occurrence, but do not recognize the ingestion of such foods as a cause of disease. Therefore, the results suggest that rural Mozambican families are exposed to risks related to the consumption of food contaminated by mycotoxins.

2024-06-26Doctoral thesis

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