First Report of Aspergillus flavus on Organic Spelt Wheat in Serbia

Abstract

Spelt (Triticum aestivum ssp. spelta L. Thell) is an ancient wheat species of growing interest due to its pro-health properties and suitability for organic production. Spelt wheat spikes were sampled in 2016 from five genotypes grown organically in the region of Vojvodina, North Serbia. It was found that 8 to 10% of spelt spikes across the cultivars were shorter and dark-greenish with reduced number of small kernels, which appeared shriveled compared to healthy plants. After fungal isolation, 21 A. flavus isolates were obtained from spelt grains. All of the isolates were identified by morphological characteristics and complemented by polymerase chain reaction assays. This is the first report of A. flavus detected on spelt wheat in Serbia.