Detection of Trichothecene-producing Fusarium Species in Cereals in Northern Europe and Asia

T. Yli-Mattila

Molecular Plant Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Food Chemistry, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland.; e-mail: tymat@utu.fi

Abstract:

Several toxigenic trichothecene-producing and nonproducing Fusarium species are involved in Fusarium head blight, which reduces both crop yield and quality in cereals. Climate change has altered crop production in many countries, and this in turn influences the pathogen populations. E.g. in northern areas a risk will be new toxigenic Fusarium species spreading to the north due to higher temperatures and the increased use of alternative hosts, such as maize, winter barley and winter oats. Traditional identifications and classifications of Fusarium species have been used for grouping isolates to species and grouping species according to shared morphological and cultural characteristics. During the last years researchers have started to use alternative ways for species identification and classification based on molecular data and phylogenetic analyses. The best way to identify and classify Fusarium isolates is the polyphasic approach by using all available characters.

Key words:

Effect of fungicides on Fusarium infection and production of deoxynivalenol in spring cereals

R. Semaškienė, A. Mankevičienė, Z. Dabkevičius and S. Supronienė

Department of Plant Pathology and Protection, Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture,Instituto 1, LT 58344 Akademija, Kedainiu distr., Lithuania; e-mail: roma@lzi.lt, audre@lzi.lt

Abstract:

Field trials in spring wheat and spring barley were carried out over two years in Dotnuva, in the center of Lithuania. Different fungicidal spray programs were used in 2004-2005 to determine their efficacy in controlling Fusarium infection and toxin deoxynivalenol (DON) accumulation in the grain. Azoxystrobin alone, and in a tank mixture with tebucanozole, a commercial mixture of prothioconazole and tebuconazole were used in spring barley. Epoxiconazole commercial mixture with pyraclostrobin and fenpropimorph, and tebuconazole alone were used in spring wheat. Fungicides were used at booting and heading or flowering stages. Naturally contaminated freshly harvested grain was analyzed. The Fusarium fungi infection level in grain was very high in both experimental years: in 2004 the level was 38.5–50.0%, and in 2005,45.0–70.8%. A lower percent of infected grains was found in spring wheat compared with spring barley. During 2004 there was identified 16.8–28.3% infection level; in 2005, 28.3–49.3%. Only in 2005 did fungicide treatments at heading or flowering slightly reduce the Fusarium infection. The level of mycotoxin DON detected in the grain samples was generally low and varied from 21 to 168 µg kg-1.

Key words:

barley, deoxynivalenol, fungicides, Fusarium infected grain, wheat