2021 GLOBAL MYCOTOXIN SURVEY OF CORN HARVESTED in 19 countries
Jog Raj1*, Hunor Farkaš1, Svetlana Ćujić1, Zdenka Jakovčević1, Naresh Magan2, Robert Čepela1 and Marko Vasiljević1 1
PATENT CO, DOO., Vlade Ćetkovića 1A, Mišićevo 24211, Serbia 2 Applied Mycology Group, Cranfield University, Cranfield, UK. *Corresponding author: jog.raj@patent-co.com
1
The aim of the present study was to screen the level of mycotoxin contamination of corn samples received between September 2021 and April 2022 from regions of 19 different countries worldwide:
Belarus
Mexico
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Morocco
Brazil
Philippines
Croatia
Russia
Ecuador
Senegal
Egypt
Serbia
El Salvador
Taiwan
Guatemala
Turkey
India
Vietnam
Italy
In this survey, more than 1000 corn samples were collected by our distributors in different countries and sent to PATENT CO, DOO. for analysis of multiple mycotoxins. The samples
all analyzed by triple quadrupole LC-MS/MS
(Agilent 6460 series) using a multi-mycotoxin method to quantify all the mycotoxins present. The analysis included A latoxin B1, B2, G1 and G2 (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, and AFG2), Ochratoxin A (OTA), Zearalenone (ZEN), Deoxynivalenol (DON), Fumonisin B1 and B2 (FB1 and FB2), T-2 and HT-2 toxins, all of which are regulated in feed in the EU by EU Directives 2002/32/EC, 2006/576/EC, and 2013/165/EU. The results of this survey are presented as detailed below: Part 1: Countrywide mycotoxin survey. Part 2: Global mycotoxin survey for 2021 harvested corn in Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Croatia, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Guatemala, India, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Philippines, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, Taiwan, Turkey, and Vietnam.
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PART 1 COUNTRYWIDE MYCOTOXIN SURVEY BELARUS In the 2021 harvest, 70% of the samples were contaminated with 1 or more mycotoxins, whereas almost 1/3 of the samples (30%) were found to contain no mycotoxins (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Percentage of mycotoxins per corn sample from Belarus. 30 < LOQ 1 Mycotoxin 50
>1 Mycotoxin 20
Table 1 summarizes the mixtures of mycotoxins found and their concentrations. ZEN (average of 125 ppb), DON (156 ppb), FB1 (454 ppb), FB2 (222 ppb), T-2 (213 ppb), and HT-2 (114 ppb) were detected in the corn samples harvested in 2021 in different regions of Belarus. T-2 was the most predominant mycotoxin as it was detected in 60% of samples followed by DON which was detected in 37% of tested corn samples. No aflatoxins were found in samples from this country.
Table 1. Mycotoxin contamination levels (ppb) in corn samples from Belarus harvested in 2021. ZEN
DON
FB1
FB2
HT-2
T-2
Average (ppb)
125
156
454
222
114
213
Maximum of positives (ppb)
233
581
1112
336
397
610
Median (ppb)
125
102
289
251
42
182
% of positives
7
37
27
13
60
30
3
BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA In 2021, almost 75% of samples were contaminated with mycotoxins and 27 % of the corn samples were found to be uncontaminated (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Percentage of mycotoxins per corn sample from Bosnia and Herzegovina. 27 < LOQ 1 Mycotoxin 55
18
>1 Mycotoxin
Table 2 summarizes the mean, maximum and numbers of positive samples for different mycotoxins found. DON (average of 328 ppb), ZEN (110 ppb), AFB1 (24 ppb), FB1 (3112 ppb), FB2 (2047 ppb), and HT-2 (22 ppb) were detected in the corn samples. FB1 was the most predominant mycotoxin as it was detected in 68% of the samples followed by DON/HT-2 in 14 % and then AFB1 in 9 % of samples from different regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2021, 73% of the harvested corn from Bosnia and Herzegovina contained one or more than 1 mycotoxin (co-occurrence), with fumonisins being predominant.
Table 2. Mycotoxin contamination levels (ppb) in corn samples from Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2021. AFB1
ZEN
DON
Average (ppb)
24
110
328
Maximum of positives (ppb)
47
110
798
Median (ppb)
24
110
97
% of positives
9
5
14
FB1
FB2
HT-2
3112
2047
22
17196
11286
31
934
350
23
68
55
14
4
BRAZIL In the 2021 harvest, 91% of samples were contaminated with one or more mycotoxins, whereas only 9% of the corn samples from Brazil were uncontaminated (Figure 3).
Figure 3. Percentage of mycotoxins per corn sample from Brazil. 9 8 < LOQ 1 Mycotoxin 83
>1 Mycotoxin
Table 3 summarizes the average, median and maximum concentrations found in these samples for multiple mycotoxins. AFB1 (average of 6 ppb), AFB2 (2 ppb), ZEN (39 ppb), DON (292 ppb), FB1 (724 ppb), and FB2 (226 ppb) were detected in 2021 harvested corn samples from Brazil. FB1 was the most predominant mycotoxin as it was detected in 90% of tested corn samples followed by FB2 in 81 % of the samples and AFB1 in 13 % samples.
Table 3. Mycotoxin contamination levels (ppb) in corn samples from Brazil harvested in 2021. AFB1
AFB2
ZEN
DON
FB1
FB2
Average (ppb)
6
2
39
292
724
226
Maximum of positives (ppb)
28
3
55
570
3321
716
Median (ppb)
1
2
39
236
622
176
% of positives
13
4
4
12
90
81
5
CROATIA In 2021, almost all corn samples (98%) were contaminated with mycotoxins. Only 2% of the samples were uncontaminated (Figure 4).
Figure 4. Percentage of mycotoxins per corn sample from Croatia. 2 6
< LOQ 1 Mycotoxin 92
>1 Mycotoxin
Table 4 summarizes the type and number of mycotoxins and their means found in the samples from Croatia. DON (average of 292 ppb), ZEN (451ppb), AFB1 (31 ppb), T-2 (74 ppb), FB1 (2442 ppb), FB2 (1088 ppb), and HT-2 (141 ppb) were detected in corn samples received from different regions of Croatia. Fumonisins (FB1) were the most dominant mycotoxins and were detected in 98% of the samples. In 2021, almost all the corn harvested in Croatia (98%) was contaminated with 1 or more than 1 mycotoxin. Again, fumonisins were the most prevalent mycotoxins detected using LC-MS/MS.
Table 4. Mycotoxin contamination levels (ppb) in corn samples from Croatia in 2021. AFB1
ZEN
DON
FB1
FB2
HT-2
T-2
Average (ppb)
31
451
292
2442
1088
141
74
Maximum of positives (ppb)
59
2060
1066
13114
6618
965
166
Median (ppb)
32
117
173
1724
678
52
57
% of positives
8
24
39
98
88
29
12
6
ECUADOR In the 2021 harvest, 90% of the samples were contaminated with more than one mycotoxin. The remaining 10% were contaminated with only one mycotoxin (Figure 5). Overall, all the tested corn samples were contaminated with one or more than one mycotoxin.
Figure 5. Percentage of mycotoxins per corn sample from Ecuador. 0 10
< LOQ 1 Mycotoxin 90
>1 Mycotoxin
Table 5 summarizes the concentrations present in the corn samples. AFB1 (average of 3 ppb), AFB2 (5 ppb), FB1 (921 ppb), and FB2 (292 ppb) were detected in the 2021 harvested corn samples from Ecuador. FB1 was the most predominant mycotoxin as it was detected in 97% of samples, followed by AFB1 which was detected in 21% of tested corn samples.
Table 5. Mycotoxin contamination levels (ppb) in corn samples from Ecuador harvested in 2021. AFB1
AFB2
FB1
FB2
Average (ppb)
3
5
921
292
Maximum of positives (ppb)
13
7
4513
1618
Median (ppb)
2
5
686
145
% of positives
21
6
97
82
7
EGYPT In the 2021 harvest, all the corn samples received from Egypt were contaminated with more than one mycotoxin, specifically, fumonisins.
Table 6. Mycotoxin contamination levels (ppb) in corn samples from Egypt harvested in 2021.
The detailed contamination levels with fumonisins are shown in Table 6. FB1 (average of 1152 ppb) and FB2 (367 ppb) were detected in 2021 harvested corn samples from Egypt. FB1 and FB2 were only and most predominant mycotoxins detected in all tested corn samples received from Egypt.
FB1
FB2
Average (ppb)
1152
367
Maximum of positives (ppb)
3578
950
Median (ppb)
663
202
% of positives
100
80
EL SALVADOR In the 2021 harvest, all the corn samples (100%) from El Salvador were contaminated with one or multiple mycotoxins.
Table 7 shows the mycotoxins found in these samples and their relative concentrations and means. ZEN (average of 66 ppb), DON (354 ppb), FB1 (465 ppb), and FB2 (93 ppb) were detected in the 2021 harvested corn samples from different regions of El Salvador.
Table 7. Mycotoxin contamination levels (ppb) in corn samples from El Salvador harvested in 2021. ZEN
DON
FB1
FB2
Average (ppb)
66
354
465
93
Maximum of positives (ppb)
91
626
685
109
Median (ppb)
83.73
272
398
77
% of positives
60
80
100
80
FB1 was the most predominant mycotoxin as it was detected in all the corn samples followed by DON which was detected in 80% and ZEN in 60% of tested of the samples. Aflatoxins were not present in the samples from this country.
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GUATEMALA In the 2021 harvest, all the corn samples (100%) from Guatemala were contaminated with one or more than one mycotoxin.
Only four mycotoxins were found Table 8. ZEN (average of 26 ppb), DON (471 ppb), FB1 (336 ppb), and FB2 (149 ppb) were detected in 2021 harvested corn samples from different regions of Guatemala. T-2 and ZEN were the most predominant mycotoxins as they were detected in all the samples followed by DON which was detected in 67% of the tested corn samples. Aflatoxins were not present in the samples from this country.
Table 8. Mycotoxin contamination levels (ppb) in corn samples from Guatemala harvested in 2021. ZEN
DON
FB1
FB2
Average (ppb)
26
471
336
149
Maximum of positives (ppb)
34
527
848
149
Median (ppb)
23
471
105
149
% of positives
100
67
100
33
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INDIA In the 2021 harvest, 84% of the samples analyzed had one or more mycotoxins (Figure 6). Only 16% of the corn samples from India were found to be uncontaminated with mycotoxins.
Figure 6. Percentage of mycotoxins per corn sample from India harvested in 2021. 16
< LOQ 20 64
1 Mycotoxin >1 Mycotoxin
Table 9 summarizes the different mixtures of mycotoxins found in the corn samples and the maximum concentrations present. AFB1 (average of 56 ppb), AFB2 (14 ppb), OTA (37 ppb), FB1 (717 ppb), and FB2 (176 ppb) were detected in 2021 harvested corn samples from different regions of India. FB1 was the most predominant mycotoxin as it was detected in 65% of samples followed by AFB1 (41%) in the tested corn samples. In the Indian samples, DON, ZEN, AFG1, AFG2, T-2 and HT-2 were not detected in corn samples using LC-MS/MS.
Table 9. Mycotoxin contamination levels (ppb) in corn samples from India harvested in 2021. AFB1
AFB2
OTA
FB1
FB2
Average (ppb)
56
14
37
717
176
Maximum of positives (ppb)
774
105
219
5259
1361
Median (ppb)
13
6
15
335
76
% of positives
41
29
21
65
30
10
ITALY In the 2021 harvest, all the corn samples were contaminated with one or more than one mycotoxin (Table 10).
FB1 (average of 2996 ppb) and FB2 (611 ppb) were detected in the 2021 harvested corn samples from different regions of Italy. FB1 and FB2 were most predominant mycotoxins detected in all the corn samples.
Table 10. Mycotoxin contamination levels (ppb) in corn samples from Italy harvested in 2021. FB1
FB2
Average (ppb)
2996
611
Maximum of positives (ppb)
3747
1044
Median (ppb)
2956
549
% of positives
100
100
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MEXICO In the 2021 harvest, 67% of the samples were contaminated with one or more mycotoxins. About 1/3 (33 %) were uncontaminated (Figure 7).
Figure 7. Percentage of mycotoxins per corn sample from Mexico. 33
< LOQ 1 Mycotoxin 67
0
>1 Mycotoxin
Table 11 summarizes the types and the concentrations of mycotoxins found in the samples from Mexico. ZEN (average of 44 ppb), DON (758 ppb), FB1 (354 ppb), and FB2 (75 ppb) were detected in the 2021 harvested corn samples from Mexico. FB1 was the most predominant mycotoxin as it was detected in 63% of tested corn samples followed by DON in 53% of the samples and ZEN in 21% samples.
Table 11. Mycotoxin contamination levels (ppb) in corn samples from Mexico harvested in 2021. ZEN
DON
FB1
FB2
Average (ppb)
44
758
354
75
Maximum of positives (ppb)
65
2014
2014
121
Median (ppb)
46
790
106
54
% of positives
21
53
63
26
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MOROCCO In the 2021 harvest, 23% of the corn samples were contaminated with one mycotoxin and 77% with more than 1 mycotoxin (Figure 8). Overall, all the corn samples were found to be contaminated with mycotoxins.
Figure 8. Percentage of mycotoxins per corn sample from Morocco. 0 23 < LOQ 1 Mycotoxin 77
>1 Mycotoxin
Table 12 summarizes the concentrations of different mycotoxins found. ZEN (average of 233 ppb), DON (321 ppb), FB1 (820 ppb), and FB2 (288 ppb) were detected in the 2021 harvested corn samples from Morocco. FB1 and DON were the most predominant mycotoxins as they were detected in 85% of samples followed by FB2 in 69% and ZEN which was detected in 23% of the tested corn samples.
Table 12. Mycotoxin contamination levels (ppb) in corn samples from Morocco harvested in 2021. ZEN
DON
FB1
FB2
Average (ppb)
33
321
820
288
Maximum of positives (ppb)
46
924
2575
904
Median (ppb)
28
273
755
178
% of positives
23
85
85
69
13
PHILIPPINES In the 2021 harvest, all the corn samples received from the Philippines were contaminated with more than one mycotoxin (Table 13).
Table 13. Mycotoxin contamination levels (ppb) in corn samples from the Philippines harvested in 2021.
AFB1 (average of 22 ppb), AFB2 (4 ppb), FB1 (1042 ppb), and FB2 (403 ppb) were detected in the 2021 harvested corn samples from the Philippines. FB1 was the most predominant mycotoxin as it was detected in 100% of the tested corn samples followed by AFB1 which was detected in 86% samples.
AFB1
AFB2
FB1
FB2
Average (ppb)
22
4
1042
403
Maximum of positives (ppb)
152
25
10147
3805
Median (ppb)
8
2
659
200
% of positives
86
67
100
90
RUSIA OTA (average of 17 ppb), ZEN (338 ppb), DON (228 ppb), HT-2 (265 ppb), T-2 (71 ppb), FB1 (2439 ppb), and FB2 (566 ppb) were detected in the 2021 harvested corn samples from Russia.
In the 2021 harvest, all the corn samples received from Russia were contaminated with more than one mycotoxin (Table 14).
FB1 was the most predominant mycotoxin as it was detected in 75% of the tested corn samples followed by T-2/HT-2, which was detected in 50% samples.
Table 14. Mycotoxin contamination levels (ppb) in corn samples from Russia harvested in 2021. OTA
ZEN
DON
FB1
FB2
HT-2
T-2
Average (ppb)
17
338
228
2439
566
265
71
Maximum of positives (ppb)
23
338
404
7789
1176
772
133
Median (ppb)
17
338
178
1910
574
113
67
% of positives
25
13
38
75
63
50
50
14
SENEGAL In the 2021 harvest, all of the corn samples (100%) from Senegal were contaminated with one or more than one mycotoxin (Table 15).
AFB1 (average of 6.4 ppb), AFB2 (0.7 ppb), ZEN (18 ppb), DON (866 ppb), FB1 (2435 ppb), and FB2 (781 ppb) were detected in the 2021 harvested corn samples from Senegal. FB1 and FB2 were the most predominant mycotoxins as these were detected in 80% of the tested corn samples followed by aflatoxins which were present in 60% of the samples.
Table 15. Mycotoxin contamination levels (ppb) in corn samples From Senegal harvested in 2021. AFB1
AFB2
ZEN
DON
FB1
FB2
Average (ppb)
6.4
0.7
18
866
2435
781
Maximum of positives (ppb)
8.6
0.9
20
1478
3756
1200
Median (ppb)
5.8
0.6
16
866
2299
819
% of positives
60
60
20
40
80
80
15
SERBIA In 2021, 83% of the corn samples were found to be contaminated with more than one mycotoxin and only 17% of corn samples were found to have no mycotoxins present (Figure 9).
Figure 9. Percentage of mycotoxins per corn sample from Serbia. 17 5
< LOQ 1 Mycotoxin
78
>1 Mycotoxin
Table 16 summarizes the concentrations of mycotoxins in the mixtures found in these samples. Overall, DON (average of 215 ppb), ZEN (40 ppb), AFB1 (14 ppb), T-2 (47 ppb), FB1 (4700 ppb), FB2 (1722 ppb), and HT-2 (61 ppb) were detected in the 2021 harvested corn samples from different regions of Serbia. FB1 was the most predominant mycotoxin as it was detected in 79% of the tested samples followed by AFB1 in 20 % of corn samples. In the 2021 harvested corn from Serbia, 83% of samples were contaminated with one or more than1 mycotoxin. Fumonisins were the most prevalent mycotoxins detected in these samples using LC-MS/MS.
Table 16. Mycotoxin contamination levels (ppb) in corn samples from Serbia in 2021. AFB1
OTA
ZEN
DON
FB1
FB2
HT-2
T-2
Average (ppb)
14
5
40
215
4700
1722
61
47
Maximum of positives (ppb)
101
5
47
379
28781
15479
114
86
Median (ppb)
5
5
42
167
2884
823
59
42
% of positives
20
1
3
3
79
73
7
5
16
TAIWAN In the 2021 harvest, all the samples were contaminated with mycotoxins. Among these, 89% were contaminated with more than one mycotoxins and 11% with only one mycotoxin (Figure 10).
Figure 10. Percentage of mycotoxins per corn sample from Taiwan. 0 11
< LOQ 1 Mycotoxin 89
>1 Mycotoxin
Table 17 summarizes the concentrations of the different mycotoxins found. AFB1 (average of 11 ppb), AFB2 (2 ppb), ZEN (409 ppb), DON (512 ppb), FB1 (1886 ppb), and FB2 (704 ppb) were detected in the 2021 harvested corn samples from Taiwan. FB1 was the most predominant mycotoxin as it was detected in 87% of the samples followed by DON in 51% and AFB1 which was detected in 19% of tested corn samples.
Table 17. Mycotoxin contamination levels (ppb) in corn samples from Taiwan harvested in 2021. AFB1
AFB2
ZEN
DON
FB1
FB2
Average (ppb)
11
2
409
512
1886
704
Maximum of positives (ppb)
65
6
2202
6866
12677
5612
Median (ppb)
3
1
106
237
821
310
% of positives
19
9
13
51
87
68
17
TURKEY In the 2021 harvest, all the corn samples received from Turkey were only contaminated with mixtures of fumonisins (Table 18).
FB1 (average of 720 ppb) and FB2 (117 ppb) were detected in the 2021 harvested corn samples from Turkey. FB1 and FB2 were the only and most predominant mycotoxins detected in all tested corn samples.
Table 18. Mycotoxin contamination levels (ppb) in corn samples from Turkey harvested in 2021. FB1
FB2
Average (ppb)
720
117
Maximum of positives (ppb)
1757
207
Median (ppb)
508
105
% of positives
100
100
18
VIETNAM In 2021, only 21% of corn samples from Vietnam were found to be uncontaminated with mycotoxins. Overall, 12% of samples were contaminated with one mycotoxin and 67% with more than one mycotoxin (Figure 11). Thus, 79% of the tested corn samples were contaminated with one or multiple mycotoxins.
Figure 11. Percentage of mycotoxins per corn sample from Vietnam. 21 < LOQ 12
1 Mycotoxin
67
>1 Mycotoxin
Table 19 summarizes the mean and the maximum concentrations found in these samples. Fumonisins were detected in 75% of the corn samples, aflatoxins in 47%, ZEN in 19%, and DON in 21%. Again, there was co-occurrence of mycotoxins in the samples from Vietnam. Fumonisins and aflatoxins were the predominant mycotoxins detected.
Table 19. Mycotoxin levels detected (ppb) in corn samples from Vietnam in 2021. AFB1
AFB2
OTA
ZEN
DON
FB1
FB2
Average (ppb)
78
17
37
662
244
800
292
Maximum of positives (ppb)
587
135
37
2109
1087
5110
870
Median (ppb)
8
5
37
477
142
431
218
% of positives
47
26
2
19
21
75
46
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PART 2 GLOBAL MYCOTOXIN SURVEY FOR 2021 HARVESTED CORN IN BELARUS, BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA, BRAZIL, CROATIA, ECUADOR, EGYPT, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, INDIA, ITALY, MEXICO, MOROCCO, PHILIPPINES, RUSSIA, SENEGAL, SERBIA, TAIWAN, TURKEY, AND VIETNAM
The summary of results of corn received from the 19 countries (Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Croatia, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Guatemala, India, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Philippines, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, Taiwan, Turkey and Vietnam) is shown in Figure 12.
Figure 12. Percentage of mycotoxins per corn in 2021 harvest from 19 countries. 13 10
In the 2021 harvested corn samples, only 13 % of all samples were not contaminated with mycotoxins, whereas 10% of the samples were contaminated with one mycotoxin and 77 % of the samples contained more than one mycotoxin.
< LOQ 1 Mycotoxin
77
>1 Mycotoxin
Table 20 summarizes the co-occurrence of different mycotoxins found on a global basis. AFB1 (average of 82 ppb), OTA (39 ppb), ZEN (309 ppb), DON (378 ppb), HT-2 (116 ppb), T-2 (105 ppb), FB1 (1944 ppb), and FB2 (774 ppb) were detected in the 2021 harvested corn samples from the 19 surveyed countries. FB1 was the most predominant mycotoxin as it was detected in 80% of tested corn samples followed by AFB1, which was detected in 23% samples and DON in 22% of the corn samples.
Table 20. Mycotoxin contamination levels (ppb) in corn samples from 19 countries harvested in 2021.
Average (ppb) Maximum of positives (ppb)
AFB1
AFB2
AFG1
OTA
ZEN
DON
FB1
FB2
HT-2
T-2
82
16
34
39
309
378
1944
774
116
105
6471
528
122
219
2202
6866
28781
15479
965
610
Median (ppb)
6
3
7
18
84
201
848
296
53
53
% of positives
23
13
1
2
10
22
80
65
9
2
20
CONCLUSIONS In the 2021 survey of corn samples received from the 19 countries (Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Croatia, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Guatemala, India, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Philippines, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, Taiwan, Turkey and Vietnam) between September 2021 and April 2022, FB1 and FB2 were the most predominant mycotoxins in samples analyzed using LC-MS/MS. Almost all the corn samples (87%) were contaminated with 1 or more than 1 mycotoxin. The co-occurrence of more than one mycotoxin may lead to additive or synergistic effects when fed to sensitive animal species (e.g., swine and poultry amongst others). This suggests that technologies are required to control mixtures of such contaminants in feedstuffs that are predominantly based on corn to minimize their impact on animal development. It would be interesting to superimpose these trends onto regional and global climate information including temperature, episodes of rainfall and drought stress to examine whether these patterns will continue or whether they may change in the short and medium-term.
This would be beneficial in the development of appropriate minimization strategies under changing climate regimes in the next 4-5 years.
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