Deoxynivalenol in wheat from the growing areas of Slovakia

The contamination level of grain samples by Fusarium mycotoxin deoxynivalenol in the grains of wheat grown in different growing areas of Slovakia between 2004 and 2006 was investigated. DON content was analysed in 139 wheat samples from the maize, sugar beet and potato growing areas. The highest mean DON content was found in the potato growing area and lowest in the maize growing area. There was a positive correlation between DON content and rainfall in the growing areas. A negative correlation was found between the content of DON and temperature. The limit specified by the EU 1.25 mg kg −1 DON content exceeded 9.3% of the samples from the maize growing area, 5% from the sugar beet growing area and 14.3% from the potato growing area. The results show the tendency of increasing toxin contamination of wheat grown from the maize and potato growing areas and also the need for more information on the problem about the distribution of Fusarium mycotoxins in wheat grown in Slovakia