Aspergillus flavus - primary causative agent of aflatoxins in dried figs

Aspergillus sect. Flavi isolates from Turkish dried figs have been determined using PCR amplification of the ITS1 and ITS2 rDNA regions. Species were identified by comparing partial 18S rDNA sequences from 57 different fungal isolates comprising 5 A. parasiticus strains, 1 A. tamarii strain, and 51 A. flavus strains with known ribosomal sequences using BLAST search. Sequence comparisons between the isolates and reference cultures showed a 95-99% similarity; morphological and phenotypical character comparisons of the same strains produced equally close similarities. The sole exception was an aflatoxin B 1 and B 2 producing strain that cannot produce cyclopiazonic acid; this strain, originally identified as A. flavus, was instead found to represent A. parasiticus.