Mazzani C, Luzón O, Chavarri M. 2004.
Aspergillus flavus
associated to
Epitragus
sp. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) in irrigated corn at Turén, Portuguesa State, Venezuela. Entomotropica 00(0): 00-00.
To evaluate fungi and mycotoxins incidence in maize grains during the dry season of 2001, at Turén, Portuguesa state, maize hybrids were sampled. Inside the ears a large population of beetle species, different to the common plague species of maize grains, was observed. To know their vector potentiality in
A. flavus epidemiology in maize, ca. 400 insects of each one of four samples identified as
Epitragus sp. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), were superficially desinfected, placed on malt-salt-agar medium, and incubated to 22 ± 3 °C during 7 days. Ninety seven percent of the insects were colonized by
A. flavus which makes think their positive participation as a fungus vector. Although
Epitragus sp. is not a maize plague, other insects as
Carpophilus hemipterus and
C. lugubris not plague too, are considered important epidemical factors and responsible of a high rate of
A. flavus infection of ears. The association between
A. flavus and
Epitragus sp. is not referred in the reviewed literature.
