Abstract
Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of microscopic fungi, which commonly contaminate cereal grains. Contamination of small-grain cereals and maize with toxic metabolites of fungi, both pathogenic and saprotrophic, is one of the particularly important problems in global agriculture. Fusarium species are among the dangerous cereal pathogens with a high toxicity potential. Secondary metabolites of these fungi, such as deoxynivalenol, zearalenone and fumonisin B1 are among five most important mycotoxins on a European and world scale. The use of various methods to limit the development of Fusarium cereal head diseases and grain contamination with mycotoxins, before and after harvest, is an important element of sustainable agriculture and production of safe food. The applied strategies utilize chemical and non-chemical methods, including agronomic, physical and biological treatments. Biological methods now occupy a special place in plant protection as an element of biocontrol of fungal pathogens by inhibiting their development and reducing mycotoxins in grain. According to the literature, Good Agricultural Practices are the best line of defense for controlling Fusarium toxin contamination of cereal and maize grains. However, fluctuations in weather conditions can significantly reduce the effectiveness of plants protection methods against infection with Fusarium spp. and grain accumulation of mycotoxins.
Highlights
Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of microscopic fungi, which commonly contaminate cereal grains and cereal products, as well as other food products [1,2,3].Animal feed is one of the main sources of mycotoxins
Fluctuations in weather conditions can significantly reduce the effectiveness of plants protection methods against infection with Fusarium spp. and grain accumulation of mycotoxins
The listed species of fungi are common maize pathogens, the highest level of fumonisin contamination was found in maize grain and its products, they are found in other cereals and food products [14,100]
Summary
Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of microscopic fungi, which commonly contaminate cereal grains (wheat, barley, oat, rye, maize and rice) and cereal products, as well as other food products [1,2,3]. An epidemic development of Fusarium diseases of the heads and reduction of grain yield even more than 50% occurrs in conditions favorable for head infections by Fusarium spp., i.e., high humidity, elevated temperature (above 20 ◦ C) and the presence of fungal inoculum and cereal cultivation on large areas [13,17,38,53]. An increase in the significance of FHB caused by F. poae has been observed, which, by infecting cereal heads and panicles, does not cause fusariosis-like etiological signs and symptoms, and does not significantly affect kernel germination capacity, but contaminates the grain with mycotoxins [46,56,58,59]. It has been shown that cereal virulence of many species of the genus Fusarium largely depends on the synthesis of trichothecene compounds, especially deoxynivalenol and its acetyl derivatives and enzymes degrading cell walls of the host plant, mainly cellulases, chitinases and xylanases [68,69,79,80]
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