Abstract
82 strains of forty five species from seventeen fungal genera were isolated from barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grown in Saudi Arabia. Aspergillus spp., Eurotium spp., and Penicillium spp., were tested for production of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 on three different media, [autoclaved barley grains, yeast-extract sucrose broth (YES), and potato dextrose agar (PDA)]. Eight of seventeen species produced aflatoxins. The quantity of aflatoxin produced varied from 15.45 to 35 ug/kg for aflatoxin B1; from 14.42 to 46.86 ug/kg for aflatoxin B2; from 10.72 to 37.5 ug/kg for aflatoxin G1; and from 5.57 to 11.72 ug/kg for aflatoxin G2. The toxicity of barley medium extracts was confirmed by using chicken embryos and Bacillus subtilis as test organism employing a paper disc agar diffusion technique.