Diversity of thermophilic and thermotolerant fungi in corn grain.

Corn bins in the midwestern United States can reach temperatures up to 52 C. High temperatures combined with sufficient moisture and humidity in bins provide the perfect environment to promote the growth of thermophilic and thermotolerant fungi. In this article, we characterize for the first time thermophilic and thermotolerant fungi in corn grain bins using culture-based methods and pyrosequencing techniques.