Mycobiota profile, phenology, and potential toxicogenic and pathogenic species associated with stored groundnuts ( L.) from the Volta Region, Ghana.

This study updates the mycobiota resident in groundnut seeds, their phenology during storage with the view to ascertain their occurrence, potential toxigenic species, and pathologically important species in the stored samples. The moisture content of the seeds ranged from 5.7% to 6.5% within the stipulated safe moisture content of 8% for extension of shelf life. Culturing the seeds on mycological media (Sabouraud's Dextrose Agar SDA; Oxytetracycline Glucose Yeast Extract OGYE, Potato Dextrose Agar, PDA) caused a de novo growth of the quiescent spores at 28-30°C for 7-14 days. Fungal population counts on the three media ranged from 2.01 to 2.16 log CFU/g samples to a final 6-month count of 1.67-2.60 log CFU/g. Eighteen different fungal species belonging to ten genera were encountered on the media, namely , and . . (, and were the most frequently isolated, followed by , and and and , and . The species which were seed borne , and were isolated on both surface sterilized and non-surface sterilized seeds. The phenology of the encountered fungal species generally followed five patterns. The most frequently isolated , and predominated throughout the 6 months sampling period, while and appeared sporadically and disappeared. The early colonizers (, and ) could not be isolated after 2-3 months owing presumably to stronger antibiosis competition from the species. The most predominant species initially constituted 36%-48% of the total population but declined to 10%-36% in 6 months. Mycobiota encountered with mycotoxigenic potential and human health importance were , and . Other species of pathological importance to plants were and . The practical implications of these findings are discussed.