Separation of trichothecene mycotoxins in a matrix of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) seed, and quantification of deoxynivalenol in hemp grain infected with Fusarium graminearum

Authors

• Isabelle A. Kagan, United States Department of AgricultureFollow
• Magdalena Ricciardi, University of Kentucky
• Henry S. Smith, University of KentuckyFollow
• Rachel R. Schendel, University of Kentucky
• Robert Pearce, University of KentuckyFollow
• Nicole Gauthier, University of Kentucky

Abstract

Background: Fusarium graminearum, one of the causal agents of ear rot in maize and head blight of cereal grains, also infects hemp (Cannabis sativa L. containing a maximum of 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol or THC). This fungal pathogen produces trichothecene mycotoxins when it infects maize and cereal grains, but little is known about its production of mycotoxins in hemp. A method was developed to separate mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON), 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (15-ADON), and 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-ADON) in commercial hemp seed and grain (harvested tissue), using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet detection. Results: In HPLC analysis of commercial hemp seed, DON was separated from matrix components. Distortion of the DON peak at higher concentrations led to calibration curves with R-squared values below those of the other mycotoxins analyzed. 15-ADON and 3-ADON slightly overlapped with matrix components. Only DON was detected in two diseased field samples of hemp grain. Conclusion: The limit of quantitation (LOQ) in the developed HPLC method was 2.2 μg/g DM for DON, and the analyzed samples contained DON at quantifiable concentrations. Further research is needed to determine whether the concentrations of DON in the field samples are representative of mycotoxin concentrations in most samples of symptomatic hemp seed and to determine whether symptom severity is correlated with DON production.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2026

Notes/Citation Information

Publisher Copyright: © 2026 The Author(s). JSFA Reports published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1002/jsf2.70073

Archival?

Archival

Repository Citation

Kagan, Isabelle A.; Ricciardi, Magdalena; Smith, Henry S.; Schendel, Rachel R.; Pearce, Robert; and Gauthier, Nicole, "Separation of trichothecene mycotoxins in a matrix of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) seed, and quantification of deoxynivalenol in hemp grain infected with Fusarium graminearum" (2026). Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications. 212.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/pss_facpub/212