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Diversity of the Fusarium graminearum species complex on French cereals

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Abstract

Fusarium graminearum is an important pathogen causing Fusarium head blight (FHB) on wheat and barley and Fusarium ear rot (FER) on maize, and harvested grains often are contaminated with trichothecenes such as deoxynivalenol (DON) and nivalenol (NIV) that are a major health and food safety concern due to their toxicity to humans and farm animals. In this study, species identity and trichothecene toxin potential of 294 members of the Fusarium graminearum species complex (FGSC) collected from wheat, barley and maize in France in 2011 was determined using a microsphere-based multilocus genotyping assay. F. graminearum was predominant on all three hosts, but three isolates of F. cortaderiae and two isolates representing F. graminearum × F. boothii hybrids were also identified from maize. The 15-ADON trichothecene chemotype predominated on all three hosts, representing 94.7 %, 87.8 % and 85.4 % of the strains on barley (N = 19), wheat (N = 90), and maize (N = 185), respectively. However, the NIV chemotype was found in 12.2 % of the wheat isolates and in 14.6 % of the maize isolates. Only a single FGSC isolate from this study, originating from barley, was found to have the 3-ADON chemotype. Regional differences could be observed in the distribution of the 15-ADON and NIV chemotypes, with the NIV producing-isolates being present at higher frequency (21.2 %) in the South of France compared to the rest of the country (4.4 %). Such information is critical because of the increased concern associated with NIV contamination of cereals. In addition, these results are needed to develop management strategies for FHB and FER in France and to improve understanding of the distribution and significance of FGSC diversity in Europe and worldwide.

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Acknowledgments

We are thankful to Emmanuelle Gourdain (Arvalis, France) for providing cereal samples used in this study. We are grateful to Nathan Orwig and Tom Usgaard (Bacterial Foodborne Pathogens and Mycology Research Unit, ARS, USDA, USA) for excellent technical assistance. This research was funded by the “Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l’Alimentation, de l’Environnement et du Travail” (ANSES) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The mention of trade names or commercial products in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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  1. ANSES Laboratoire de la Santé des Végétaux, Unité Mycologie, Domaine de Pixérécourt, 54220, Malzéville, France

    Anne-Laure Boutigny, Nicolas Ballois & Renaud Ioos

  2. Bacterial Foodborne Pathogens and Mycology Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Peoria, IL, 61604, USA

    Todd J. Ward

  3. Institut Français de la Brasserie et de la Malterie, 7 rue du Bois de la Champelle, 54500, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy, France

    Gabriela Iancu

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  1. Anne-Laure Boutigny
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  2. Todd J. Ward
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  3. Nicolas Ballois
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  4. Gabriela Iancu
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  5. Renaud Ioos
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Correspondence to Anne-Laure Boutigny.

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Boutigny, AL., Ward, T.J., Ballois, N. et al. Diversity of the Fusarium graminearum species complex on French cereals. Eur J Plant Pathol 138, 133–148 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-013-0312-6

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