Assesing of Genetic Variability of Avena Accessions Artificially Inoculated with Fusarium spp.

Abstract

The pathogenic fungi Fusarium spp. cause yield losses and presence of mycotoxins in grains of many cereals, with potential risk to human health. Relatively less visible infections are found in oats, but even so high levels of T2 and HT2 mycotoxins were reported. The present study reports results on the variability of genetic resistance of modern cultivars and wild oats by artificial inoculation with different Fusarium species and on the role of morphological characters in the manifestation of infection. Artificial inoculation with Fusarium spp. revealed a high variability of attack intensity between the studied Avena accessions. Infection on grains showed a leptokurtic distribution of the values, the probability of existence of resistance sources being in the cultivars of both classes of infections with a large interval of data dispersion towards the end of the variation curve. Among the evaluated agronomic characters, there were significantly negative correlations between Fusariun infection on panicles and kernels and days to maturity, and positive significant correlation between Fusarium infection on panicle and 1000 kernel weight, these traits having an important role in the manifestation on panicle and grain infection. Infestation with Fusarium fungus manifested differently on panicles and grains, genotypes with high 1000 kernel weight showing a higher degree of attack. Both panicle and grain infection levels were smaller in accessions with a longer vegetation period.