Revisiting an <i>Aspergillus flavus</i> Strain Isolated from an Egyptian Sugarcane Field in 1930

• Main Authors: Mohamed F. Abdallah, Kris Audenaert, Sarah De Saeger, Jos Houbraken
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-10-01
• Series: Microorganisms
• Subjects: <b>Keywords: s</b>ugarcane; <i>A. novoparasiticus</i>; aflatoxins; <i>Pseudococcus sacchari</i>; polyphasic approach; leporins
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/8/11/1633

The aflatoxin type B and G producer <i>Aspergillus novoparasiticus</i> was described in 2012 and was firstly reported from sputum, hospital air (Brazil), and soil (Colombia). Later, several survey studies reported the occurrence of this species in different foods and other agricultural commodities from several countries worldwide. This short communication reports on an old fungal strain (CBS 108.30), isolated from <i>Pseudococcus sacchari</i> (grey sugarcane mealybug) from an Egyptian sugarcane field in (or before) 1930. This strain was initially identified as <i>Aspergillus flavus</i>; however, using the latest taxonomy schemes, the strain is, in fact, <i>A. novoparasiticus</i>. These data and previous reports indicate that <i>A. novoparasiticus</i> is strongly associated with sugarcane, and pre-harvest biocontrol approaches with non-toxigenic <i>A. novoparasiticus</i> strains are likely to be more successful than those using non-toxigenic <i>A. flavus</i> strains. Further studies on the association between <i>A. novoparasiticus</i> and <i>Pseudococcus sacchari</i> might shed light on the distribution (and aflatoxin contamination) of this species in sugarcane. Additionally, the interaction between <i>A. novoparasiticus</i>, <i>Pseudococcus sacchari,</i> and sugarcane crop under different scenarios of climate change will be critical in order to get more insight into the host–pathogen interaction and host resistance and propose appropriate prevention strategies to decrease mycotoxin contamination and crop loss due to <i>A. novoparasiticus</i> attack.