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.     

棉铃虫为害与拟轮生镰孢侵染对玉米穗腐病发生及玉米籽粒中伏马毒素污染水平的影响

本研究以‘浚单20’为供试玉米品种,以棉铃虫为供试昆虫,以拟轮生镰孢为供试病原菌,分别进行单独及复合处理,以明确棉铃虫和拟轮生镰孢单独处理和复合处理对玉米穗腐病发病程度及籽粒中伏马毒素污染水平的影响。结果表明,2011年和2012年均以棉铃虫与拟轮生镰孢侵染复合处理对穗腐病发病程度及籽粒中伏马毒素污染水平的影响最大,穗腐病平均病级分别为0.68±0.05和1.08±0.19;单独接种棉铃虫,2011年和2012年的穗腐病平均病级分别为0.31±0.05和0.71±0.06;单独接种拟轮生镰孢,穗腐病平均病级分别为0.24±0.03和1.05±0.29。复合处理的籽粒中伏马毒素污染水平,2011年和2012年分别为(0.85±0.56)mg/kg和(2.36±0.98)mg/kg;单独接种棉铃虫处理分别为(0.17±0.12)mg/kg和(0.01±0.002)mg/kg;单独接种拟轮生镰孢处理分别为(0.10±0.03)mg/kg和(1.14±0.62)mg/kg。相同处理条件下,降水量大和相对湿度高的气候条件更有利于穗腐病的发生及籽粒中伏马毒素的积累。     

Studies on the Infection Process of Fusarium Culmorum in Wheat Spikes: Degradation of Host Cell Wall Components and Localization of Trichothecene Toxins in Infected Tissue

After single spikelet inoculation, the infection process of Fusarium culmorum and spread of fungal hyphae in the spike tissues were studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. While hyphal growth on outer surfaces of the spike was scanty and no successful penetration was observed, the fungus developed a dense mycelium on the inner surfaces and effectively invaded the lemma, glume, palea and ovary by penetration pegs. During the inter- and intracellular spreading of the fungus, marked alterations in the host tissues were observed, including degeneration of cytoplasm, cell organelles, and depositions of electron dense material between cell wall and plasmalemma. Ultrastructural studies revealed that host cell walls in proximity of the penetration peg and in contact with hyphae were less dense or transparent which suggested that cell wall degrading enzymes were involved in colonisation of host tissues by fungal hyphae. Enzyme- and immunogold-labelling investigations confirmed involvement of extracellular enzymes, that is cellulases, xylanases and pectinases, in degradation of cell wall components. Localization studies of trichothecenes indicated that toxins could be detected in host tissues at an early stage of infection.