Occurrence of Fusarium Spp. in Hulls and Grains of Different Wheat Species

Abstract

The occurrence of selected Fusarium species was studied in wheat sample collections that involved common wheat, einkorn, emmer and spelt genotypes. The study using PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) assays aimed to identify the Fusarium species occurring in hulls and grains of evaluated wheat samples separately and to assess the role of hull in Fusarium spp. contamination of the wheat grain. The obtained results suggested that hulls play the role of a protective barrier against Fusarium spp. contamination and reduce the incidence of these fungi in wheat grain. The incidence of Fusarium spp. in grains decreased by 44.54% in F. avenaceum, 45.15% in F. graminearum, 54.83% in F. sporotrichoides, 55.22% in F. culmorum, 57.49% in F. poae and 85.07% in F. equiseti, compared to incidence of Fusarium spp. in hulls of hulled wheat species. In the case of common wheat, the incidence of Fusarium spp. in grains decreased by 21.43% in F. avenaceum, 29.16% in F. graminearum, 32.14% in F. poae, 39.13% in F. sporotrichoides, 40.91% in F. culmorum and 49.99% in F. equiseti. A lower Fusarium spp. occurrence in hulled wheats grain seems to be connected especially with morphology of hulled wheat spikelets with tight and hard hulls, which could be able to reduce spread of fungal hyphae in the spikelet tissue. At the same time, it is possible to suppose that narrow opening of hulled wheats flowers reduces entry of spores to flowers. Genotypes with high resistance to FHB (emmer wheat genotype Rudico, spelt wheat genotypes Rubiota, Alkor, Tauro) were found in hulled wheat species and since their high grain quality parameters and satisfying yields are already known, they could be good alternative to common wheat, mainly in organic cropping systems.