Fusarium – Problematik bei Körnermais (Zea Mays L.)

In the last few years in maize stalk and ear rots caused by fusarium spp. was increasing, often causing contamination with mycotoxins. Most prevalent was fusarium graminearum, mainly producing Deoxynivalenol (DON) in kernels and stalk. DON is suspected to cause several diseases in humans and livestock. In our study, injection of conidial suspension in the silk channel was the most successful method for artificial inoculation. Due to significant differences between several hybrids, it could be concluded that resistance against the fungus is genetically controlled. Intensity of resistance is varying extremely, depending on environment. The mycotoxin concentration of the kernels was positively correlated with percentage of visible infected kernels, obtaining levels up to 95?ppm. Susceptible hybrids even showed in the rest plant extremely high levels of DON (up to 60?ppm). Naturally infected plants showed high mycotoxin concentrations above and below the main ear, exceeding the recommended level of forage for cattle. High mycotoxin levels in kernels and rest plants show the importance of resistance breeding against fusarium.