Response of Aspergillus flavus spores to nitric oxide fumigations in atmospheres with different oxygen concentrations. (September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Yong-Biao; Oh, Sookyung; Jurick, Wayne M.
• Is Part Of: Journal of stored products research. Volume 83(2019)
• Page Start: 78
• Page End: 83
• Publication Date: 2019-09
• Subjects: Nitric oxide -- Nitrogen dioxide -- Fumigation -- Aspergillus flavus -- Spores -- Stored products; Food -- Storage -- Periodicals; Farm produce -- Storage -- Diseases and injuries -- Periodicals; Entomology -- Periodicals; Food Contamination -- Periodicals; Food Preservation -- Periodicals; Insect Control -- Periodicals; Aliments -- Entreposage -- Périodiques; Produits agricoles -- Entreposage -- Maladies et dommages -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 631.568
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jspr.2019.06.001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-474X

Abstract

Abstract: Nitric oxide (NO) is a newly discovered fumigant for postharvest pest control. NO fumigation must be conducted under ultralow oxygen conditions because NO reacts with O2 to produce nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ). In this study, NO fumigations under different O2 concentrations were conducted on Aspergillus flavus spores to determine effectiveness of NO and NO2 in inactivating spores. Spores on gridded cellulose filter discs in Petri dishes were subjected to six fumigation treatments including a control with varying levels of NO under different O2 conditions for 3 h at 15 °C. The discs with spores were then cultured on Aspergillus Differentiation medium plates after fumigation for four days at 25 °C to count A. flavus colonies. Untreated control discs each had over 50 A. flavus colonies. Three fumigation treatments with 0.1% NO2 or 1.0% NO caused complete inactivation of A. flavus spores. The study demonstrated that NO fumigation with certain levels of NO2 can effectively inactivate A. flavus spores. The results suggest that NO fumigation has potential to be an alternative treatment to control both pests and microbes on stored products. Highlights: Nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide were effective in inactivating Aspergillus flavus spores. Nitric oxide fumigation under ultralow oxygen conditions contained both nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide. Nitric oxide fumigation has the potential to control both insects and microbes on stored products.