. In vivo maize experiments
To check the applicability of the present study an in vivo maize culture experiments were included, CLEO and fungal treatments and ZEA analysis were followed as mentioned earlier. The concentration of ZEA in CLEO untreated control maize sample was determined as 607.16 μg/100 g, whereas the concentration of ZEA in CLEO treated maize samples were recorded as 579.63, 450.08, 284.45 and 115.95 μg/100 g at 500, 1000, 2000 and 2500 μg/mL of CLEO concentrations, respectively ( Fig. 3d). The observed effects of CLEO might be due to the presence of phenolic and other chemical compounds which will be involved the stress induction lead to the altered metabolic pathway gene regulation thus to decreased toxin production and fungal growth. The obtained results are supported by in vitro broth culture assays. Further studies are mandate to know the exact mechanism of CLEO induced inhibitory effects against the growth and ZEA production of F. graminearum.