Abstract
Survey covering 120 wheat fields was conducted in three wheat-growing districts of Kenya during the 2008 cropping season to determine the incidence of Fusarium head blight (FHB) and T2-toxin contamination in grain. FHB incidence was determined as the number of blighted ears per 10m2. Information gathered included wheat production practices, rainfall and temperature data. Fungal pathogens were isolated from wheat stems, heads, straw, grains and soil and identified based on cultural and morphological characteristics. Wheat grain samples were analyzed for T2-toxin by competitive Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). High FHB incidences of up to 88% were recorded. Fungal genera isolated included Fusarium, Epicoccum, Trichoderma, Alternaria and Penicilium. Wheat plant parts with high infection with Alternaria and Epicoccum had corresponding low levels of Fusarium spp. Whereas Fusarium spp. were the most common fungal pathogens in stems, heads and soil, Epicoccum was frequently isolated from straw and grains. Fusarium speciesisolated included F. poae, F. graminearum, F. stilboides, F. verticilloides, F. fusarioides, F. tricinctum and F. heterosporum with F. poae and F. graminearum accounting for approximately 40% of all Fusarium infections. T-2 toxin was detected in all the grain samples and varied from 3 to 22 ppb. The study showed that FHB and T2-toxin are prevalent in the study districts and the high diversity of Fusarium species implies a challenge in FHB management as well as a risk of chronic T2-toxin exposure to humans and livestock.
Highlights
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the second most important cereal grain in Kenya after maize [1]
Fusarium head blight (FHB) or scab of wheat and barley is mainly caused by a complex of the soil- and residue-borne Fusarium spp. which cause foot rot and root rot [2,3]
Many wheat cultivars were grown by farmers in the three diverse districts during the study period, they were all susceptible to FHB and Fusarium infection of vegetative parts
Summary
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the second most important cereal grain in Kenya after maize [1]. Fusarium head blight (FHB) or scab of wheat and barley is mainly caused by a complex of the soil- and residue-borne Fusarium spp. which cause foot rot and root rot [2,3]. The major mycotoxins associated with Fusarium spp. include deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, T2-toxin, zearalenone and their derivatives [6]. Majority of wheat growers in Kenya are small-scale farmers with less than 20 acres [7,8]. Most of these producers do not use fungicides for fungal disease management. Maize, which is the country’s staple food and known to promote FHB incidence and severity is grown either side-by-side or as a rotation crop with wheat [8,9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
