Occurrence, adsorption and dissipation of mycotoxins in soils

• Applicant: Dr. Arne Kappenberg
• Subject Area: Soil Sciences
• Term: from 2019 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 420346420

More than 33% of the soils worldwide are currently degraded, mainly due to erosion. To prevent erosion, several kinds of conservative soil management systems have been implemented or suggested, such as no tillage, mulch tillage and ridge tillage. However, these treatments also include high risks of harmful fungi survival and, therefore, production of harmful mycotoxins. The objectives of this project are to elucidate the occurrence, the adsorption and the dissipation of deoxynivalenol (DON) and Zearalenone (ZEA) in conservative soil management systems. I will analyze soil retrieved from agricultural areas, where different soil conservation management are applied in order to test whether and to which degree conservation agriculture (no- and mulch tillage) promotes the accumulation of mycotoxins relative to soils under intensive tillage. Furthermore, I will undertake batch and incubation experiments in order to evaluate the adsorption and the dissipation of DON and ZEA in soils of different soil textures. The results will allow me to draw conclusions to which degree toxin formation is related to both soil texture and specific management.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants