The aim was to compare the cumulation of deoxynivalenol mycotoxin in kernels of naked oats and covered oats with hull and without hull after artificial infection with Fusarium culmorum, which is characterised by a high production of deoxynivalenol. In total, thirteen oat cultivars registered in Slovakia were tested. The lowest average DON cumulation was found in kernels of covered oats after hulling. DON cumulation in kernels of naked oats ranged from 9.5 mg.kg -1 to 14.3 mg.kg -1, in covered oat kernels after hulling from 2.3 mg.kg -1 to 9.2 mg.kg -1 and in covered oat kernels with hull from 17.4 mg.kg -1 to 83.9 mg.kg -1. Between the covered oat cultivars the differences in DON cumulation in kernels were revealed. Cumulation of DON in kernels of covered oats after hulling was lower than the average contamination of naked oat kernels. Lower DON accumulation in kernels of covered oat cultivars, after hulling, shows loss of toxin during the cleaning of the kernels. This is important information for processors.
