Effect of Fusarium infection on wheat quality parameters

Abstract

Wheat is one of the most important cereal grains; it provides carbohydrate staple foods that form the basis of most diets around the world. Wheat production is endangered by Fusariumspecies which cause Fusarium head blight. Fusarium head blight is one of the most devastating diseases of small grain cereals. This disease not only causes grain yield losses, but also decreases wheat quality and causes the presence of harmful mycotoxins. The experiment was conducted during two growing seasons 2020 and 2021 at the experimental field and laboratories of the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE). The aim of our study is to test the effect of Fusarium infection on wheat quality parameters. The wheat variety used in the experiment is Mv Kolompos. The results indicate that Fusarium infection in 2021 (94%) is higher than in 2020 (48.4%). The increase in Fusarium infection reduces wheat quality. Hence, it negatively affects protein content, test weight, thousand kernel weight, falling number, gluten content and Zeleny sedimentation index. The higher the Fusarium infection the lower the value of wheat quality parameters.