The Risk of Mycotoxin Contamination and Delay Harvesting on Quality and Technological Parameters of Spring Cereals

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the risk of mycotoxin contamination and delayed harvesting on the quality and technological parameters of spring oats and triticale. Seventy-two grain samples were collected at three stages from four randomized field replots. Delayed harvesting led to high mycotoxin contamination of spring oats by DON and T-2 toxin and triticale grains by DON and ZEA and diminished main grain quality indicators, including mass per hectoliter, falling number, and RVA pasting properties. The optimal harvest time, especially in wet weather conditions, is a crucial consideration for viscosity. The correlation analyses between mycotoxins and the quality and technological parameters of oats and triticale grains revealed a trend in which the increasing mycotoxin contamination of spring