MYCOTOXINS DIFFUSION IN FEEDS OF SUMMER PASTURING RATION OF Rangifer tarandus IN ARCTIC ZONES OF RUSSIA

ins. In the present work, we are the first to estimate the content of mycotoxins for the components of summer reindeer rations, i.e. Salix borealis , Vaccinium uliginosum, Betula nana , and B . pendula . The aim of the study was to analyze the distribution of mycotoxins in the components of the summer diet of reindeer. Samples of genera Cladonia and Nephroma lichens, higher plants of the species Salix borealis , Vaccinium uliginosum , Betula nana , B . pendula , and mixtures of perennial grasses were collected in early August 2017 in the pastures of the Harp town of the Yamalo-Nenets Auton- omous District, the Nelmin-Nos town of Nenets Autonomous District and the Pushnoy town of the Murmansk region. Aflatoxins (AFLA), ochratoxin A (OTA), T-2 toxin (T-2), zearalenone (ZEN), deoxynivalenol (DON) were detected and measured in the samples using ELISA test. During the mycotoxicological evaluation of the summer food ration components of reindeer, we found multiple contaminations with the mycotoxins. The samples of Embryophyta representatives revealed a greater number of toxic metabolites compared to samples of the genera Cladonia and Nephroma lichens. Practically, in all samples of higher plants, the presence of mycotoxins T-2, ZEN and DON produced by Fusarium pathogens which affects plants during vegetation, as well as AFLA and OTA metabolites of micromycetes Aspergillus sp. and Penicillium sp. which previously were considered not adapted for growth and reproduction in plant tissues during the growing season. However, AFLA and OTA were the least represented on virtually all samples. It is of interest that OTA was not detected in any of the lichen samples assayed. In most of the samples, DON Fusarium tox- ins dominated with accumulation in lichens up to 0.15 mg/kg and in Embryophyta samples up to 33.8 mg/kg, as well as ZEN at the amount up to 0.1227 mg/kg and 2.543 mg/kg, in concentrations that may pose a threat to animal health. T-2 toxin and deoxynivalenol. Our findings indicate that the problem of contamination of higher plants by mycotoxins is much more acute com-784