Genetic variation and covariation for aggressiveness, deoxynivalenol production and fungal colonization among progeny of Gibberella zeae in wheat

Gibberella zeae (anamorph Fusarium graminearum ) causes head blight of cereals and contaminates grains with mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol (DON). To determine the correlations among aggressiveness traits, fungal colonization and DON production, 50 progeny from a segregating population of G. zeae were inoculated onto a susceptible winter wheat cultivar in three field environments (year–location combinations). Aggressiveness traits were measured as head-blight rating and plot yield relative to noninoculated plots. Fungal colonization, measured as Fusarium exoantigen (ExAg) content, and DON production were analysed with two ELISA formats. Disease severity was moderate to high based on head-blight rating and relative plot yield. Fusarium ExAg content and DON production ranged from 0·26–1·41 units and from 4·18–43·70 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. Significant ( P  = 0·01) genotypic variation was found for all traits. Heritability for Fusarium ExAg content was rather low because of high progeny–environment interaction and error. DON/ Fusarium ExAg ratio did not vary significantly ( P  > 0·1) among progeny. Correlation between DON production and Fusarium ExAg content across environments was high ( r  = 0·8, P  = 0·01), but no covariation existed between aggressiveness traits and DON/ Fusarium ExAg content ratio.     

几种杀菌剂防控小麦赤霉病穗腐及籽粒脱氧雪腐镰刀菌烯醇(DON)毒素的评价

小麦赤霉病是小麦穗期的主要病害之一。化学防控一直是小麦主产区防控赤霉病的主要措施。为明确几种新型杀菌剂对小麦赤霉病的防效和对小麦籽粒DON毒素含量的影响,于2018年进行了氰基丙烯酸酯类和三唑类杀菌剂单剂及其复配剂对赤霉病的防效试验。结果表明:30%戊唑·多菌灵悬浮剂(SC)1500 mL/hm^2处理对赤霉病病穗防效达92.40%,病指防效达93.20%,小麦籽粒DON毒素检出量较不用药对照降低80.38%;25%氰烯菌酯SC 2000 mL/hm^2处理对赤霉病的病穗防效达86.80%,病指防效达88.78%,小麦籽粒DON毒素检出量较不用药对照降低88.19%;48%氰烯·戊唑醇SC 900 mL/hm^2和40%丙硫·戊唑醇SC 600 mL/hm^2对小麦赤霉病的病穗防效分别为77.20%、78.00%,病指防效分别为80.27%和79.59%,对籽粒DON毒素检出量较不用药对照分别降低73.87%和81.42%。在小麦赤霉病较重发生的情况下,上述4种杀菌剂单剂或复配剂1次用药既能高效控制病情,又能有效控制小麦籽粒DON毒素不超标。本试验研究进一步阐明,氰烯菌酯、戊唑醇、丙硫菌唑等杀菌剂及其复配剂均能有效控制小麦赤霉病的危害,并能有效降低小麦籽粒DON毒素含量;吡唑醚菌酯单剂及其复配剂虽然对小麦赤霉病的病穗和病指防效也较高,但控制小麦籽粒DON毒素含量效果相对较差。研究结果为小麦穗期赤霉病化学防控提供了科学参考。     

Infection process of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium graminearum</Emphasis> in oats (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Avena sativa</Emphasis> L.)

Fusarium head blight in small grain cereals has emerged as a major problem in the Nordic countries. However, the impact of this disease in oats has been less investigated than in other cereals. For this reason we have studied the infection process (the optimal time of infection and infection pathways) of Fusarium graminearum in oats and its subsequent effects on kernel infection, deoxynivalenol (DON) content and germination capacity. In a field experiment the oat cultivar Morton was spray-inoculated at different developmental stages, and the highest kernel infection and DON content and lowest germination percentage were observed when inoculation took place at anthesis. Field grown oats affected by a natural Fusarium head blight epidemic and spray-inoculated field and greenhouse oats were used to study the infection pathway. Results showed that the fungus entered primarily through the floret apex into the floret cavity, where it could infect via the internal surfaces of the palea, lemma and caryopsis. Both visual symptoms and fungal infections started at the apical portions of the florets and progressed to the basal portions. Hyphae of F. graminearum grew more profusely on the anthers than on other floret parts during initial stages of infection. Disease development within the oat panicle was slow and is primarily by physical contact between adjoining florets, indicating that the long pedicels give Type II resistance in oats.     

Fusarium head blight and mycotoxin contamination of wheat,a review

Summary An infection of bread wheat by fusarium head blight contaminates the crop with mycotoxins, particularly deoxynivalenol (DON) and nivalenol (NIV). The toxicity and natural occurrence of these mycotoxins in wheat are reviewed. Based on 8 years data of fusarium head blight epidemics of wheat in the Netherlands, DON contamination of the grain was estimated. Fusarium head blight ratings averaged an infection of 1.7% of all spikelets; estimates for DON contamination averaged 0.9 mg kg^–1. Taking a guideline level for DON in uncleaned bread wheat of 2 mg kg^–1, in 1979 and 1982 a wheat crop was produced with estimated DON concentrations above the limit of tolerance. Human and animal exposure to mycotoxins in the Netherlands appears to be small but chronic. The information presented in this paper illustrates the need for an annual evaluation of the crop for fusarium head blight incidence and mycotoxin content, and the necessity of fusarium head blight resistant wheat cultivars.Samenvatting Aaraantasting van tarwe doorFusarium culmorum enFusarium graminearum leidt tot vorming van mycotoxinen in het graan, waarvan deoxynivalenol (DON) en nivalenol (NIV) de belangrijkste toxinen zijn. In dit artikel wordt een overzicht gegeven van de toxicologische aspecten, en het voorkomen van deze toxinen in tarwe. Informatie over DON en NIV in tarwe in West-Europa is schaars. Gebaseerd op gegevens vanFusarium epidemieën in de jaren 1979–1986 wordt een schatting gegeven van de concentratie DON in Nederlandse tarwe. Rekening houdend met de herkomst en verwerking van tarwe, blijken zowel in dierlijk als menselijk voedsel lage concentraties DON chronisch voor te komen. Op basis van een maximaal toelaatbare dagelijkse dosis DON van 3 g kg^–1 lichaamsgewicht is de schatting van de dagelijkse opname van DON in het jaar volgend op de oogst van 1982 net op de grens. Zowel een jaarlijkse inventarisatie vanFusarium aantasting en DON besmetting van het graan, als de ontwikkeling vanFusarium-resistente rassen zijn noodzakelijk.     

Resistance in winter wheat lines to deoxynivalenol applied into florets at flowering stage and tolerance to phytotoxic effects on yield

In Europe and North America, deoxynivalenol (DON) is the most prevalent mycotoxin associated with wheat head blight caused by Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium culmorum. Because DON is toxic to plants and enhances the ability of the pathogen to spread within a spike, wheat lines with resistance to DON should be more resistant to head blight. Resistance to DON has been associated with resistance gene Fhb1 that confers resistance to spread within a spike. The objectives of this study were to determine if wheat lines resistant to head blight were also resistant to DON, if genes other than Fhb1 confer resistance to DON, and to identify lines able to fill grain in the presence of DON. Susceptible controls and diverse North American and European winter wheat lines with resistance to head blight were screened for molecular markers linked to known head blight resistance genes, and evaluated in a greenhouse for resistance to DON and relative yield after application of DON to spikes at flowering. Fhb1 appeared to have the unique ability to confer resistance to DON, as measured by the number of DON‐bleached primary florets. However, this resistance did not protect plants from the phytotoxic effects of DON on kernel formation as measured by the relative yield of treated spikes. Furthermore, measuring the relative yield loss following DON application may be useful for identifying lines with tolerance to head blight.     

Effect of Trichothecenes Produced by Fusarium graminearum during Fusarium Head Blight Development in Six Cereal Species

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a complex cereal disease associated with trichothecene production; these mycotoxins are factors of aggressiveness in wheat. Six species (bread and durum wheat, triticale, rye, barley and oats) were submitted to point inoculations with two isogenic strains of Fusarium graminearum; a wild strain (Tri5 +) produced trichothecenes and the mutated strain (Tri5 –) did not. The trichothecene-producing strain was generally more aggressive than the non-producing strain, but this varied according to crop species. The difference in aggressiveness was less pronounced in rye, a very resistant species. High resistance levels were observed in oats due to the large spacing between florets. In six-row barley, despite the existence of a moderate Type II resistance, the fungus was often observed to move externally from one floret to another within the dense spike, without penetrating the rachis. Bread wheat had low resistance to the trichothecene-producing strain and good resistance to the non-producing strain. Triticale responded to the strains in a similar way but was somewhat more resistant to both: symptoms on the spikelets and rachis of the triticales were restricted to below the point of inoculation. Durum wheat was susceptible to the trichothecene-producing strain and only moderately resistant to the non-producing strain, which was able to cause serious damage only to this species. Our study confirmed that the role of trichothecenes in FHB pathogenesis differs among species. The failure of the trichothecene non-producing F. graminearum strain to spread within the inflorescence of wheat, triticale, rye and barley, and the significant reduction of spread in the durum wheat spike strongly suggested that trichothecenes are a major determinant of fungal spread and disease development in Triticeae.     

Relationship between visual estimates of fusarium head blight intensity and deoxynivalenol accumulation in harvested wheat grain: a meta-analysis

ABSTRACT The association between Fusarium head blight (FHB) intensity and deoxynivalenol (DON) accumulation in harvested grain is not fully understood. A quantitative review of research findings was performed to determine if there was a consistent and significant relationship between measures of Fusarium head blight intensity and DON in harvested wheat grain. Results from published and unpublished studies reporting correlations between DON and Fusarium head blight "index" (IND; field or plot-level disease severity), incidence (INC), diseased-head severity (DHS), and Fusarium-damaged kernels (FDK) were analyzed using meta-analysis to determine the overall magnitude, significance, and precision of these associations. A total of 163 studies was analyzed, with estimated correlation coefficients (r) between -0.58 and 0.99. More than 65% of all r values were >0.50, whereas less that 7% were <0. The overall mean correlation coefficients for all relationships between DON and disease intensity were significantly different from zero (P < 0.001). Based on the analysis of Fisher-transformed r values ( z(r) values), FDK had the strongest relationship with DON, with a mean r of 0.73, followed by IND (r = 0.62), DHS (r = 0.53), and INC (r = 0.52). The mean difference between pairs of transformed z(r) values (z(d) ) was significantly different from zero for all pairwise comparisons, except the comparison between INC and DHS. Transformed correlations were significantly affected by wheat type (spring versus winter wheat), study type (fungicide versus genotype trials), and study location (U.S. spring- and winter-wheat-growing regions, and other wheat-growing regions). The strongest correlations were observed in studies with spring wheat cultivars, in fungicide trials, and in studies conducted in U.S. spring-wheat-growing regions. There were minor effects of magnitude of disease intensity (and indirectly, environment) on the transformed correlations.     

Resistance against <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium graminearum</Emphasis> and the relationship to β-glucan content in barley grains

Fusarium head blight (FHB) caused by Fusarium graminearum (FG) is a destructive disease impacting barley worldwide. The disease reduces the grain yield and contaminates grains with mycotoxins, such as the trichothecene deoxynivalenol (DON). Although the infection mainly affects the grain yield, little is known about its impact on grain structural and biochemical properties. Yet, such information is instrumental to characterize the facets of resistance in the grains. After artificial inoculation of six barley cultivars with FG in a 2 years field test, different levels of symptoms on spikes, of colonisation of grains and of DON content were observed. The infections caused a reduction in grain weight and an average decrease of 10% of the β-glucan content in grains, indicating alterations of grain filling, composition and structure. According to our results, we postulate the presence of two distinct resistance mechanisms in the grain, tolerance to grain filling despite infection as well as the inhibition of mycotoxin accumulation. Differently to wheat, in barley, type IV resistance (tolerance of the grain to infection) is directly linked with type III resistance (resistance against kernel infection). The resistance against toxin accumulation (named type V resistance in wheat) appeared to be independent to all other resistance types. Generally, the resistance was significantly influenced by the environment and by genotype x environment interactions explaining the generally weak stability of resistance in barley. Interestingly, a significant and inverse relationship between DON contamination and β-glucan content in grains suggests that high β-glucan content in grains contributes to type V resistance.     

Mapping of quantitative trait Loci for fusarium head blight resistance in barley

ABSTRACT Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a devastating disease that causes significant reductions in yield and quality in wheat and barley. Barley grains infected with deoxynivalenol (DON), a vomitoxin produced by Fusarium graminearum, are rejected for malting and brewing. Among six-rowed barley cultivars tested thus far, only cv. Chevron exhibited resistance. This study was conducted to map genes and to identify DNA markers for marker-assisted breeding for FHB resistance in cv. Chevron with restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) markers. A doubled haploid (DH) population was created from a cross between cv. Chevron and susceptible cv. Stander. Seven field experiments were conducted in four different locations in 2 years. A RFLP map containing 211 loci and covering over 1,000 centimorgans (cM) of the genome was used to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with relatively low FHB severity and DON concentration. Morphological traits differing between the parents were also measured: heading date, plant height, spike angle, number of nodes per cm of rachis in the spike, and kernel plumpness. Many of the QTL for FHB and DON coincided with QTLs for these morphological traits. The "fix-QTL" algorithm in Mapmaker QTL was used to remove the part of the variance for FHB resistance that may be explained by heading date or plant height. Results from this study suggest that QTLs with major effects for FHB resistance probably do not exist in cv. Chevron. Three QTL intervals, Xcmwg706-Xbcd441 on chromosome 1H, Xbcd307b-Xcdo684b on chromosome 2H, and Xcdo959b-Xabg472 on chromosome 4H, that are not associated with late heading or height may be useful for marker-assisted selection.     

A quantitative review of tebuconazole effect on fusarium head blight and deoxynivalenol content in wheat

ABSTRACT A meta-analysis of the effect of tebuconazole (e.g., Folicur 3.6F) on Fusarium head blight and deoxynivalenol (DON) content of wheat grain was performed using data collected from uniform fungicide trials (UFTs) conducted at multiple locations across U.S. wheat-growing regions. Response ratios (mean disease and DON levels from tebuconazole-treated plots, divided by mean disease and DON levels from untreated check plots) were calculated for each of 139 studies for tebuconazole effect on Fusarium head blight index (IND; field or plot-level disease severity, i.e., mean proportion of diseased spikelets per spike) and 101 studies for tebuconazole effect on DON contamination of harvested grain. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed on the log-transformed ratios, and the estimated mean log ratios were transformed to estimate the mean (expected) percent control for IND ( C(IND) ) and DON ( C(DON)). A mixed effects meta-analysis was then done to determine the effects of wheat type (spring versus winter wheat) and disease and DON levels in the controls on the log ratios. Tebuconazole was more effective at limiting IND than DON, with C(IND) and C(DON) values of 40.3 and 21.6%, respectively. The efficacy of tebuconazole as determined by the impact on both IND and DON was greater in spring wheat than in winter wheat (P < 0.01), with a 13.2% higher C(IND) and a 12.4% higher C(DON) in spring wheat than in winter wheat. In general, C(IND) and C(DON) were both at their lowest values (and not significantly different from 0) when mean IND and DON in the controls, respectively, were low (相似文献   

小麦不同生育期施用丙硫菌唑及施用次数对小麦赤霉病及籽粒DON毒素的控制效果

为探明在小麦不同生育期施用新型杀菌剂丙硫菌唑及施用次数对小麦赤霉病及籽粒DON毒素总量[包括脱氧雪腐镰刀菌烯醇(DON)?3-乙酰脱氧雪腐镰刀菌烯醇(3-ADON)?15-乙酰脱氧雪腐镰刀菌烯醇(15-ADON)]的控制效果, 2020年-2021年通过田间自然发病和人工接种发病试验的方法, 研究了小麦不同生育期施用丙硫菌唑及施用次数对小麦赤霉病的防效, 并通过液相色谱-串联质谱法测定了不同处理小麦籽粒中对DON毒素总含量?结果表明, 30%丙硫菌唑可分散油悬浮剂(OD)防治2次对小麦赤霉病的防效和对DON毒素的控制效果均显著高于防治1次; 防治2次时, 其首次最佳防治时期为小麦齐穗期至扬花20%, 防效为90.25%~95.13%, 毒素控制效果为77.35%~79.97%?30%丙硫菌唑OD作为防控小麦赤霉病的新型药剂具有良好的应用前景, 本研究为该药剂推广应用于小麦赤霉病及籽粒DON毒素的防控提供了科学依据?     

The germination problem of oat seed lots affected by Fusarium head blight

Mycotoxin contamination and reduced germination capacity (GC) of oats affected by Fusarium head blight (FHB) have become serious concerns in Norway. Spawn- and spray-inoculated field trials were conducted from 2007 to 2010 to screen for resistant genotypes and to study the relationship between GC and deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination. Correlation coefficients between GC and DON level varied from ?0.412 to ?0.711 (P?<?0.001). The strongest and the weakest correlations were recorded for the spray- and spawn-inoculated experiments of 2009, respectively. High DON levels were associated with low GCs but low DON levels did not guarantee higher GCs. DON did not inhibit initiation of germination, but did retard seedling growth in a germination assay conducted on DON-amended water agar. Most of the seedlings grown on the modified WA containing even as little as 2?ppm DON had abnormal morphology and would not be considered as ??germinated?? in official tests. A greenhouse experiment studying the effect of time of inoculation on GC, DON level, and seed infection (SI) showed a rapid reduction in DON levels resulting from later inoculations. Increments in GC were observed although they were not as strong as the decrements in DON level. Seed infection remained consistently high (> 60?%) for all inoculations. Seed dressing and dehulling individually were not effective in improving GC, but when combined increased GC to the percentage of kernels having viable germ. We hypothesize that in addition to the level of DON, SI influences the GC of Fusarium-damaged oats, especially in wet years that may facilitate late-initiated infections.     

不同小麦品种抗赤霉病性类型和抗毒素积累能力分析

赤霉病是我国小麦上的重要病害,品种抗病性利用是控制病害发生的重要措施,明确小麦抗赤霉病资源的抗性类型,有利于小麦抗赤霉病育种。2003年和2004年对9个常用抗源在穗期进行单花滴注和喷雾接种,研究其抗侵染和抗扩展性,并对病穗中的脱氧雪腐镰刀菌烯醇(DON)的含量进行分析。结果表明,望水白和苏麦3号具较好的抗侵染和抗扩展能力,其中望水白的抗扩展性最好;感染赤霉病后,DON在5个抗源穗组织中的含量差异显著,DON在望水白和繁60096穗组织中积累量明显比在苏麦3号、延岗坊主和翻山小麦低。通过对望水白/安农8455遗传群体两年的病小穗率和病穗中DON毒素含量的比较,发现二者具有一定的相关性,且受环境影响比较大。     

麦类赤霉病研究进展

由镰刀菌引起的麦类赤霉病是大麦和小麦最重要的病害之一。本文综述了近年来在麦类赤霉病致病病原菌种及分子鉴定、病原菌产毒及毒素化学型分子检测、大、小麦赤霉病病原菌种群结构、病原菌抗药性及新药剂研发、病害流行预测和品种抗病性研究等方面的进展。     

Real-time PCR Quantification and Mycotoxin Production of Fusarium graminearum in Wheat Inoculated with Isolates Collected from Potato, Sugar Beet, and Wheat

ABSTRACT Fusarium graminearum causes Fusarium head blight (FHB) in small grains worldwide. Although primarily a pathogen of cereals, it also can infect noncereal crops such as potato and sugar beet in the United States. We used a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method based on intergenic sequences specific to the trichodiene synthase gene (Tri5) from F. graminearum. TaqMan probe and primers were designed and used to estimate DNA content of the pathogen (FgDNA) in the susceptible wheat cv. Grandin after inoculation with the 21 isolates of F. graminearum collected from potato, sugar beet, and wheat. The presence of nine mycotoxins was analyzed in the inoculated wheat heads by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. All isolates contained the Tri5 gene and were virulent to cv. Grandin. Isolates of F. graminearum differed significantly in virulence (expressed as disease severity), FgDNA content, and mycotoxin accumulation. Potato isolates showed greater variability in producing different mycotoxins than sugar beet and wheat isolates. Correlation analysis showed a significant (P < 0.001) positive relationship between FgDNA content and FHB severity or deoxynivalenol (DON) production. Moreover, a significant (P < 0.001) positive correlation between FHB severity and DON content was observed. Our findings revealed that F. graminearum causing potato dry rot and sugar beet decay could be potential sources of inoculum for FHB epidemics in wheat. Real-time PCR assay provides sensitive and accurate quantification of F. graminearum in wheat and can be useful for monitoring the colonization of wheat grains by F. graminearum in controlled environments, and evaluating wheat germplasms for resistance to FHB.     

Identification of fusarium head blight resistance related metabolites specific to doubled-haploid lines in barley

Fusarium head blight (FHB) and deoxynivalenol (DON) mycotoxin produced by Fusarium graminearum reduce barley yield and quality worldwide. Hundreds of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) have been identified in wheat and barley but their functions are largely unknown. Metabolic profiling was applied to better understand the mechanisms of resistance and to identify potential FHB resistance biomarker metabolites in barley. Four FHB resistant (H15-2, H148-3, H203-2 and H379-2) and one susceptible (H97-2), two-row, purple, doubled-haploid (DH) lines of barley were inoculated with either the pathogen or mock-solution. The disease severity quantified as the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) significantly varied between the resistant and susceptible genotypes, but not among the resistant genotypes. Neither the amount of DON nor the detoxified product, proportion of total DON, was significant among lines. The resistance related (RR, higher in abundance in resistant than in susceptible) metabolites varied in numbers and fold changes among the DH resistant lines. A total of 144 RR constitutive (RRC) and 167 RR induced (RRI) metabolites were selected, of which 39 and 37, respectively, were putatively identified. These RR metabolites mainly belonged to six chemical groups: phenylpropanoids, hydroxycinnamic acid amides, flavonoids, fatty acids, terpenoids, and alkaloids. The specific RR metabolites identified in each DH line, the possible mechanisms of resistance in each and their use as potential biomarkers are discussed.     

A comparative assessment of potential components of partial disease resistance to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium</Emphasis> head blight using a detached leaf assay of wheat,barley and oats

The relative resistance of 15 winter barley, three winter wheat and three winter oat cultivars on the UK recommended list 2003 and two spring wheat cultivars on the Irish 2003 recommended list were evaluated using Microdochium nivale in detached leaf assays to further understand components of partial disease resistance (PDR) and Fusarium head blight (FHB) resistance across cereal species. Barley cultivars showed incubation periods comparable to, and latent periods longer than the most FHB resistant Irish and UK wheat cultivars evaluated. In addition, lesions on barley differed from those on wheat as they were not visibly chlorotic when placed over a light box until sporulation occurred, in contrast to wheat cultivars where chlorosis of the infected area occurred when lesions first developed. The pattern of delayed chlorosis of the infected leaf tissue and longer latent periods indicate that resistances are expressed in barley after the incubation period is observed, and that these temporarily arrest the development of mycelium and sporulation. Incubation periods were longer for oats compared to barley or wheat cultivars. However, oat cultivars differed from both wheat and barley in that mycelial growth was observed before obvious tissue damage was detected under macroscopic examination, indicating tolerance of infection rather than inhibition of pathogen development, and morphology of sporodochia differed, appearing less well developed and being much less abundant. Longer latent periods have previously been related to greater FHB resistance in wheat. The present results suggest the longer latent periods of barley and oat cultivars, than wheat, are likely to play a role in overall FHB resistance if under the same genetic control as PDR components expressed in the head. However the limited range of incubation and latent periods observed within barley and oat cultivars evaluated was in contrast with wheat where incubation and latent periods were shorter and more variable among genotypes. The significance of the various combinations of PDR components detected in the detached leaf assay as components of FHB resistance in each crop requires further investigation, particularly with regard to the apparent tolerance of infection in oats and necrosis in barley, after the incubation period is observed, associated with retardation of mycelial growth and sporulation.     

Pathogenicity and In Planta Mycotoxin Accumulation Among Members of the Fusarium graminearum Species Complex on Wheat and Rice

ABSTRACT Fusarium head blight (FHB), or scab, is a destructive disease of small grains caused by members of the Fusarium graminearum species complex, comprised of at least nine distinct, cryptic species. Members of this complex are known to produce mycotoxins including the trichothecenes deoxynivalenol (DON) along with its acetylated derivatives and nivalenol (NIV). In this study, 31 strains, belonging to eight species of this complex and originating from diverse hosts or substrates, were tested for differences in aggressiveness and mycotoxin production. Large variation among strains, both in terms of their aggressiveness and the ability to produce trichothecenes on a susceptible cultivar of wheat was found; variation appears to be a strain-specific rather than species-specific characteristic. While pathogenicity was not influenced by the type of mycotoxin produced, a significant correlation was observed between the amount of the dominant trichothecene (DON and its acetylated forms or NIV) produced by each strain and its level of aggressiveness on wheat. Some isolates also were tested for their ability to infect rice cv. M201, commonly grown in the United States. While tested strains were capable of infecting rice under greenhouse conditions and causing significant amount of disease, no trichothecenes could be detected from the infected rice florets.     

Comparison of commercial European wheat cultivars to Fusarium infection of head and seedling tissue

Susceptibility of eight commercial European wheat cultivars to fusarium head blight (FHB) disease caused by Fusarium graminearum , F. culmorum , F. poae and Microdochium nivale (formerly known as Fusarium nivale ) was compared under controlled environment conditions (16°C). FHB did not differentially affect cultivars in terms of disease symptoms, fungal DNA content of grain or deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination. However, the Hungarian-grown cultivars GK-Othalom and Fatima 2 (of Romanian origin) showed greater type V resistance (yield tolerance) to FHB than did the others. Also, nivalenol was produced by F. poae in these two cultivars and in Italian cultivar Norba, but not in other cultivars. Overall, significant relationships were found between the FHB and seedling blight resistance in vitro of these eight cultivars, but such relationships were generally highly dependent on cultivar, and therefore it is likely that the in vitro test is at best measuring components of FHB resistance and/or genotype-specific resistance components.     

A comparison of controlled environment and field trials for detection of resistance in cereal cultivars to root rot caused by Rhizoctonia solani

A screening test was developed to study the effect of different quantities of inoculum of Rhizoctonia solani on root rot and growth of cultivars of wheat, barley, oats, rye and triticale in a controlled environment and the field in two seasons. The ranking of relative susceptibility to disease of cultivars within a cereal differed between the controlled environment and field experiments, and between seasons in the field. The ranking of relative susceptibility between cereals also differed between experiments. In the controlled-environment experiment, wheat had the highest disease rating, followed by oats, barley, triticale and rye, but in the field barley had the highest rating followed by wheat and then oats. The overall differences between the cereals were small.