Production of Sclerotia by Aflatoxigenic and Nonaflatoxigenic Strains of Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus

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Abstract
Sclerotial strains of A. flavus and A. parasiticus may be high aflatoxin [carcinogen] producers. Strains (14) that differed in aflatoxin- and sclerotium-producing ability were studied. These strains were grown on 1 complex medium, and on 3 defined media containing different N sources for determinations of sclerotium production. No sclerotia were produced by any of the strains on medium containing (NH4)2SO4 as the sole N source. Otherwise, the amount of sclerotium production varied with the strain, not the medium used, and strains could be classified as high, moderate, low and nonsclerotium producers. Four of the strains studied produced no detectable aflatoxin; these included 1 strain that produced abundant sclerotia, 1 that produced no sclerotia and 2 that produced intermediate levels of sclerotia on the media tested. No correlation between toxigenicity and production of sclerotia was observed among the aflatoxigenic strains studied.