Fusarium Head Blight Infection Research Articles

Genomic regions influencing the hyperspectral phenome of deoxynivalenol infected wheat

The quantitative nature of fusarium head blight (FHB) resistance requires further exploration of the wheat genome to identify regions conferring resistance. In this study, we explored the application of hyperspectral imaging of Fusarium-infected wheat kernels and identified regions of the wheat genome contributing significantly to the accumulation of Deoxynivalenol (DON) mycotoxin. Strong correlations were identified between hyperspectral reflectance values for 204 wavebands in the 397–673 nm range and DON mycotoxin. Dimensionality reduction using principal components was performed for all 204 wavebands and 38 sliding windows across the range of wavebands. The first principal component (PC1) of all 204 wavebands explained 70% of the total variation in waveband reflectance values and was highly correlated with DON mycotoxin. PC1 was used as a phenotype in a genome wide association study and a large effect QTL on chromosome 2D was identified for PC1 of all wavebands as well as nearly all 38 sliding windows. The allele contributing variation in PC1 values also led to a substantial reduction in DON. The 2D polymorphism affecting DON levels localized to the exon of TraesCS2D02G524600 which is upregulated in wheat spike and rachis tissues during FHB infection. This work demonstrates the value of hyperspectral imaging as a correlated trait for investigating the genetic basis of resistance and developing wheat varieties with enhanced resistance to FHB.

Control of Fusarium Head Blight of Wheat with Bacillus velezensis E2 and Potential Mechanisms of Action.

Wheat plants are impacted by Fusarium head blight (FHB) infection, which poses a huge threat to wheat growth, development, storage and food safety. In this study, a fungal strain was isolated from diseased wheat plants and identified as Fusarium asiaticum F1, known to be a member of the Fusarium graminearum species complex, agents causally responsible for FHB. In order to control this disease, new alternatives need to be developed for the use of antagonistic bacteria. Bacillus velezensis E2 (B. velezensis E2), isolated from a previous investigation in our laboratory, showed a notable inhibitory effect on F. asiaticum F1 growth and deoxynivalenol (DON) synthesis in grains. The spore germination of F. asiaticum F1 was significantly reduced and the spores showed vesicular structures when treated with B. velezensis E2. Observations using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the hyphae of F. asiaticum F1 were shrunken and broken when treated with B. velezensis E2. The RNA-seq results of F1 hyphae treated with B. velezensis E2 showed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which were involved in multiple metabolic pathways such as toxin synthesis, autophagy process and glycan synthesis, especially the genes associated with DON synthesis, were significantly downregulated. In summary, those results showed that B. velezensis E2 could inhibit F. asiaticum F1 growth and reduce the gene expression of DON synthesis caused by F1. This study provides new insights and antagonistic mechanisms for the biological control of FHB during wheat growth, development and storage.

Comprehensive genome-wide analysis of wheat xylanase inhibitor protein (XIP) genes: unveiling their role in Fusarium head blight resistance and plant immune mechanisms.

In this comprehensive genome-wide study, we identified and classified 83 Xylanase Inhibitor Protein (XIP) genes in wheat, grouped into five distinct categories, to enhance understanding of wheat's resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB), a significant fungal threat to global wheat production. Our analysis reveals the unique distribution of XIP genes across wheat chromosomes, particularly at terminal regions, suggesting their role in the evolutionary expansion of the gene family. Several XIP genes lack signal peptides, indicating potential alternative secretion pathways that could be pivotal in plant defense against FHB. The study also uncovers the sequence homology between XIPs and chitinases, hinting at a functional diversification within the XIP gene family. Additionally, the research explores the association of XIP genes with plant immune mechanisms, particularly their linkage with plant hormone signaling pathways like abscisic acid and jasmonic acid. XIP-7A3, in particular, demonstrates a significant increase in expression upon FHB infection, highlighting its potential as a key candidate gene for enhancing wheat's resistance to this disease. This research not only enriches our understanding of the XIP gene family in wheat but also provides a foundation for future investigations into their role in developing FHB-resistant wheat cultivars. The findings offer significant implications for wheat genomics and breeding, contributing to the development of more resilient crops against fungal diseases.

A new bacterial consortia for management of Fusarium head blight in wheat

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a significantly important disease in cereals primarily caused by Fusarium species. FHB control is largely executed through chemical strategies, which are costlier to sustainable wheat production, resulting in leaning towards sustainable sources such as resistance breeding and biological control methods for FHB. The present investigation was aimed at evaluating newly identified bacterial consortium (BCM) as biocontrol agents for FHB and understanding the morpho-physiological traits associated with the disease resistance of spring wheat. Preliminary evaluation through antagonistic plate assay and in vivo assessment indicated that BCM effectively inhibited Fusarium growth in spring wheat, reducing area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) and deoxynivalenol (DON), potentially causing type II and V resistance, and improving single spike yield (SSPY). Endurance to FHB infection with the application of BCM is associated with better sustenance of spike photosynthetic performance by improving the light energy harvesting and its utilization. Correlation and path-coefficient analysis indicated that maximum quantum yield (QY_max) is directly influencing the improvement of SSPY and reduction of grain DON accumulation, which is corroborated by principal component analysis. The chlorophyll fluorescence traits identified in the present investigation might be applied as a phenotyping tool for the large-scale identification of wheat sensitivity to FHB.

IMPACT OF SOIL STERILIZATION FROM DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, WHEAT SEEDS CLEANING AND THEIR INTERACTIONS ON WEED CONTROL, AND YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS

IMPACT OF SOIL STERILIZATION FROM DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, WHEAT SEEDS CLEANING AND THEIR INTERACTIONS ON WEED CONTROL, AND YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS

Dual RNA-sequencing of Fusarium head blight resistance in winter wheat.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a devastating fungal disease responsible for significant yield losses in wheat and other cereal crops across the globe. FHB infection of wheat spikes results in grain contamination with mycotoxins, reducing both grain quality and yield. Breeding strategies have resulted in the production of FHB-resistant cultivars, however, the underlying molecular mechanisms of resistance in the majority of these cultivars are still poorly understood. To improve our understanding of FHB-resistance, we performed a transcriptomic analysis of FHB-resistant AC Emerson, FHB-moderately resistant AC Morley, and FHB-susceptible CDC Falcon in response to Fusarium graminearum. Wheat spikelets located directly below the point of inoculation were collected at 7-days post inoculation (dpi), where dual RNA-sequencing was performed to explore differential expression patterns between wheat cultivars in addition to the challenging pathogen. Differential expression analysis revealed distinct defense responses within FHB-resistant cultivars including the enrichment of physical defense through the lignin biosynthesis pathway, and DON detoxification through the activity of UDP-glycosyltransferases. Nucleotide sequence variants were also identified broadly between these cultivars with several variants being identified within differentially expressed putative defense genes. Further, F. graminearum demonstrated differential expression of mycotoxin biosynthesis pathways during infection, leading to the identification of putative pathogenicity factors.

Non-destructive detection of fusarium head blight in wheat kernels and flour using visible near-infrared and mid-infrared spectroscopy

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the most severe fungal diseases that reduces yield of cereal crops and degrades kernel quality with mycotoxins, which are harmful to human and animal health. The majority of FHB identification at post-harvest stage is through lab-based analysis, whilst effective it is a time consuming, expensive, and laborious process. Hence, a non-destructive, rapid, accurate, and robust method is required for FHB detection at post-harvest. This study explores the potential of visible near-infrared (vis-NIR) in the wavelength range from 400 to 1700 nm and the mid-infrared (MIR) in the wavenumber range from 4000 to 650 cm−1 to predict FHB infection of wheat kernels and flour. A total of 143 ear samples (93 infected, and 50 healthy) were collected from an inoculated trial covering several winter wheat varieties. The collected spectral data was analysed with two different machine learning algorithms, namely, random forest (RF) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA). Both models produced a higher test accuracy of 96.6 % and 100 %, respectively, for the flour samples than that (e.g., 93.1 %) for the kernels, using the MIR spectroscopy. Recursive feature elimination (RFE) demonstrated notable improvements in accuracy of the vis-NIR for the kernels, with LDA model providing 100 % classification accuracy. While RFE failed to improve the accuracy of MIR-LDA models. The results highlight the effectiveness of vis-NIR and MIR spectroscopy with RFE and machine learning for classifying FHB in wheat kernel and flour samples.

Fusarium Head Blight Infection Induced Responses of Six Winter Wheat Varieties in Ascorbate-Glutathione Pathway, Photosynthetic Efficiency and Stress Hormones.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the most studied fungal diseases of wheat, causing massive grain yield and quality losses. This study aimed to extend previous studies on the physiological and biochemical responses of winter wheat to FHB stress in a controlled environment by focusing on the ascorbate-glutathione pathway (AsA-GSH), photosynthetic efficiency, and stress hormone levels, thus providing insight into the possible interactions of different defense mechanisms during infection. The activity of AsA-GSH metabolism was increased in FHB resistant varieties, maintaining the redox state of spikes, and consequently preserving functional photosystem II. Furthermore, carotenoids (Car) were shown to be the major pigments in the photosystem assembly, as they decreased in FHB-stressed spikes of resistant and moderately resistant varieties, compared to controls. Car are also the substrate for the synthesis of abscisic acid (ABA), which acts as a fungal effector and its elevated content leads to increased FHB susceptibility in inoculated spikes. The results of this study contributed to the knowledge of FHB resistance mechanisms and can be used to improve the breeding of FHB resistant varieties, which is considered to be the most effective control measure.

Root Silicon Amendment Enhances Barley’s Resistance to Fusarium Head Blight in the Field

Background: Silicon (Si) amendment plays an important role in enhancing the resistance of several plant species to diverse pathogens. To date, a few studies have focused on how Si application helps barley, a higher Si absorber and accumulator monocot, to resist fungal diseases, including Fusarium head blight (FHB), which reduces the quality and safety of harvested products worldwide. However, no study has ever been conducted to demonstrate Si's ability to suppress FHB development in barley heads under uncontrolled climatic conditions. Materials and Methods: This 2-year field study elucidated the effect of multiple Si applications at 1.7 mM via roots in two barley cultivars, Arabi Aswad (AS moderately resistant) and Arabi Abiad (AB moderately susceptible), to control four Fusarium species with diverse pathogenicity. The incidence of FHB (DI type I resistance), severity of FHB (DS type II), and Fusarium-damaged kernels (FDK type III) were also tested to describe the nature of the Si-enhanced barley resistance. Results: Si treatment at 1.7 mM under soil culture decreased FHB development by enhancing all resistance types measured in the present research. DI, DS, and FDK were reduced by 18.7%, 20.3%, and 20.2%, respectively, in Si-Fusarium-inoculated treatments relative to fungal-inoculated controls. Si absorption in barley strengthened the defense system measured by type I and type II on AB to a level comparable to AS not amended with Si. Irrespective of the barley cultivar, however, Si resulted in a quasi-similar reduction of FDK. Importantly, Si treatment at 1.7 mM decreased the damage of FHB in previous analyses conducted on AS and AB under in vitro and growth chamber environments, showing that Si enhanced the expression of resistance to FHB infection in seedlings and adult barley plants. Conclusion: All of these results are promising outcomes for the application of Si as a safe and effective method against Fusarium species. This study provides new insights into the potential of multiple Si applications at 1.7 mM via roots for boosting barley’s resistance to FHB with a bright prospect for Si use in barley cultivation under field conditions.

Endogenic Phenolic Compounds of Barley as Potential Biomarkers Related to Grain Mycotoxin Production and Cultivar Selection.

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is the fourth largest cereal crop in the world. One of the most devastating diseases in barley worldwide is Fusarium head blight (FHB) caused by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe. Several mycotoxins are produced by FHB infection, and deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of them responsible for the deterioration of grain quality. The current limited number of reliable molecular markers makes the development of FHB-resistant cultivars rather difficult and laborious. Moreover, there is a limited number of designed specific biomarkers that could distinguish the FHB resistance and mycotoxin accumulation in barley cultivars. This study investigated the phenolic compounds of ten different Canadian barley cultivars, grown in artificially FHB-infected and non-infected field trials. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to assess the presence of DON in the harvested infected grains of each tested variety. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was performed using both infected and non-infected samples. We identified differences among cultivars tested in non-infected samples through quantitative analysis of free and bound phenolic compounds. The resistant cultivars showed higher amounts of major bound phenolic compounds compared to the susceptible check CDC Bold. Additionally, the FHB-infected cultivars produced significantly higher amounts of sinapic acid (SIN) () and catechin (CAT) in the soluble free form of phenolics in barley compared to the non-infected subjects. This study suggests that phenolic compounds in barley could allow barley breeders to precisely identify and develop FHB-resistant barley germplasm and cultivars.

Comparative transcriptomic analysis of wheat cultivars differing in their resistance to Fusarium head blight infection during grain-filling stages reveals unique defense mechanisms at play

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a devastating fungal disease that poses a significant threat to wheat production, causing substantial yield losses. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of wheat resistance to FHB is crucial for developing effective disease management strategies. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms of FHB resistance and the patterns of toxin accumulation in three wheat cultivars, Annong8455, Annong1589, and Sumai3, with different levels of resistance, ranging from low to high respectively, under natural field conditions. Samples were taken at three different grain-filling stages (5, 10, and 15 DPA) for gene expression analysis and phenotypic observation. Results found that toxin concentration was inversely correlated with varietal resistance but not correlated with disease phenotypes, indicating that toxin analysis is a more accurate measure of disease status in wheat ears and grains. Transcriptomic data showed that Sumai3 exhibited a stronger immune response during all stages of grain filling by upregulating genes involved in the active destruction of pathogens and removal of toxins. In contrast, Annong1589 showed a passive prevention of the spread of toxins into cells by the upregulation of genes involved in tyramine biosynthesis at the early stage (5 DPA), which may be involved in cell wall strengthening. Our study demonstrates the complexity of FHB resistance in wheat, with cultivars exhibiting unique and overlapping defense mechanisms, and highlights the importance of considering the temporal and spatial dynamics of gene expression in breeding programs for developing more resistant wheat cultivars.

Real‐time detection of Fusarium infection in moving corn grains using YOLOv5 object detection algorithm

AbstractReal‐time inspection and removal of individual Fusarium head blight (FHB) infected corn grains from the processing lines has been a challenging issue due to the bulk handling and smaller kernel size. In this study, four different variants (small(s), medium(m), nano(n), and large(l)) of You Only Look Once (YOLO) version 5 object detection technique were trained for the detection of Fusarium infection in a moving monolayer of touching and non‐touching corn grains. The YOLOv5 object detection models were evaluated for their performance in detecting FHB infection in individual corn grains. A heterogeneous dataset containing images and video frames of healthy and FHB infected corn grains in different illuminations was utilized. The mean average precision calculated at Intersection over Union threshold of .5 (mAP@50) was 99%, 98%, 95%, and 96% for YOLOv5‐s, YOLOv5‐m, YOLOv5‐n, and YOLOv5‐l models, respectively. The detection speed in videos was 3.9, 1.6, 9.8, and .8 frames per second for YOLOv5‐s, m, n, and l models, respectively. For non‐touching grains, all four variants of the YOLOv5 model showed 100% precision, but for touching grains, all variants showed false negatives in detection of FHB infection, especially on overlapping kernels. The recall values were found to be 98%, 99%, 96%, and 97% for YOLOv5‐s, m, n, and l models, respectively. The best combination of mAP, detection speed, and lower false negatives was achieved by the YOLOv5‐m model. YOLOv5‐m has the potential for use in real‐time detection of Fusarium infection in corn grains apart from lag time in videos.Practical ApplicationThe developed video analysis technique based on YOLOv5 object detection method will be beneficial for the accurate identification of Fusarium infected corn grains in bulk handling facilities. The individual FHB infected grains could be detected on processing lines and could be used for real‐time inspection replacing the random sampling techniques currently used, thereby preventing the entry of Fusarium mycotoxins in the food chain. For non touching corn grains, all the YOLOv5 model variants showed a 100% precision in identifying the healthy and FHB infected grains. For touching grains, YOLOv5‐m model showed the best combination of mAP, detection speed, and lower false negatives proving appropriate for inspection on moving conveyor belts. The nano model with the lightweight architecture installed in portable devices can be used for immediate detection of FHB infection without lag time.

Identification of fusarium head blight resistance markers in a genome-wide association study of CIMMYT spring synthetic hexaploid derived wheat lines

Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by Fusarium graminearum, is one of the most destructive wheat diseases worldwide. FHB infection can dramatically reduce grain yield and quality due to mycotoxins contamination. Wheat resistance to FHB is quantitatively inherited and many low-effect quantitative trait loci (QTL) have been mapped in the wheat genome. Synthetic hexaploid wheat (SHW) represents a novel source of FHB resistance derived from Aegilops tauschii and Triticum turgidum that can be transferred into common wheat (T. aestivum). In this study, a panel of 194 spring Synthetic Hexaploid Derived Wheat (SHDW) lines from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) was evaluated for FHB response under field conditions over three years (2017–2019). A significant phenotypic variation was found for disease incidence, severity, index, number of Fusarium Damaged Kernels (FDKs), and deoxynivalenol (DON) content. Further, 11 accessions displayed < 10 ppm DON in 2017 and 2019. Genotyping of the SHDW panel using a 90 K Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) chip array revealed 31 K polymorphic SNPs with a minor allele frequency (MAF) > 5%, which were used for a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) of FHB resistance. A total of 52 significant marker-trait associations for FHB resistance were identified. These included 5 for DON content, 13 for the percentage of FDKs, 11 for the FHB index, 3 for disease incidence, and 20 for disease severity. A survey of genes associated with the markers identified 395 candidate genes that may be involved in FHB resistance. Collectively, our results strongly support the view that utilization of synthetic hexaploid wheat in wheat breeding would enhance diversity and introduce new sources of resistance against FHB into the common wheat gene pool. Further, validated SNP markers associated with FHB resistance may facilitate the screening of wheat populations for FHB resistance.

Near infrared hyperspectral imaging method to assess Fusarium Head Blight infection on winter wheat ears

The scope of this article is to present a laboratory-based method for the assessment of Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) on ears of winter wheat using Near Infrared Hyperspectral Imaging (NIR-HSI) in the spectral range 900–1700 nm. Inoculated and non-inoculated winter wheat ears were collected from a trial field in Belgium and analysed in the laboratory. Using a dichotomous classification tree framework, Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) models were developed and applied at pixel level to discriminate the different parts of the ears, namely the awns, the stem and the healthy and infected parts of the ears. This study proposes the use of spectral information at pixel level instead of averaging the spectral signature of the ear. This approach allows using the spatial information of the data in order to provide a quantitative assessment of the severity of the infection on the ear. The results presented in this work confirm that wavelengths related to water and nitrogen are important for the detection of FHB. The validation of the models indicates a good performance for the detection of FHB infection at pixel level with a sensitivity of 96 % and a specificity of 100 %. Furthermore, the validation of the method at ear level shows good performance for the detection of FHB-infected ears with a sensitivity of 99.4 % and a specificity of 91.9 %. The literature reports similar performances, but using equipment with a broader spectral range (400–2500 nm). The present study thus indicates that good discrimination performance can be achieved using a much narrower spectral range. In addition, the obtained results suggest that the method can discriminate three classes of FHB severity, which enables a semi-quantitative assessment of the FHB infection.

An endophytic bacterium with biocontrol activity against important wheat pathogens

Fusarium graminearum and Xanthomonas translucens are the causal agents of important diseases in wheat plants worldwide. Seeds carry beneficial microbes known as endophytes that could increase plant growth and have biocontrol activity against pathogens. Therefore, using endophytes could be useful for plant production and they are good alternatives for hazardous synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. In this study, 10 endophytic bacteria were isolated from eight cultivars of wheat surface-sterilized seeds. One isolate based on the result of dual culture assay and its biocontrol activity against mentioned plant pathogens was selected for further evaluation. The isolate was identified as Bacillus subtilis CB2 according to the 16S rRNA and gyrB gene sequencing. Microscopic analysis showed alterations in the fungal hyphal structures. The B. subtilis CB2 could produce protease, amylase, pectinase, cellulase, IAA, ammonia, catalase, and ACC deaminase and could solubilize phosphate. Nevertheless, lipase and chitinase were not produced by the isolate. Spore germination and DON production were reduced when the fungus grew on wheat seeds treated with the B. subtilis CB2. Reduction in percentages of Fusarium head blight infection, Fusarium crown rot severity, and protection rate against bacterial leaf streak were 80.33%, 78.19%, and 64.23%, respectively. Greenhouse trials revealed that the biomass and 1000-grain weight of the treated plants with the Bacillus subtilis CB2 were increased. The crude lipopeptide extract of the isolate inhibited growth of both plant pathogens. LC-MS analyzes showed that the B. subtilis CB2 could produce surfactins and iturins, which are known as antibacterial and antifungal lipopeptides. This is the first report that revealed activity of the seed endophytic B. subtilis in biocontrol of the X. translucens and F. graminearum (crown rot). Formulation of this beneficial bacterium and its application in the field conditions could be an environmentally safe strategy for management of plant diseases.

Spectral Quantitative Analysis and Research of Fusarium Head Blight Infection Degree in Wheat Canopy Visible Areas

Obtaining complete and consistent spectral images of wheat ears in the visible areas of in situ wheat canopies poses a significant challenge due to the varying growth posture of wheat. Nevertheless, detecting the presence and degree of wheat Fusarium head blight (FHB) in situ is critical for formulating measures that ensure stable grain production and supply while promoting green development in agriculture. In this study, a spectral quantitative analysis model was developed to evaluate the infection degree of FHB in an in situ wheat canopy’s visible areas. To achieve this, a spectral acquisition method was used to evaluate the infection degree of FHB in a wheat canopy’s visible areas. Hyperspectral images were utilized to obtain spectral data from healthy and mildly, moderately, and severely infected wheat ear canopies. The spectral data were preprocessed, and characteristic wavelengths were extracted using twelve types of spectral preprocessing methods and four types of characteristic wavelength extraction methods. Subsequently, sixty-five spectral quantitative prediction models for the infection degree of FHB in the in situ wheat canopy visible areas were established using the PLSR method, based on the original spectral data, preprocessed spectral data, original spectral characteristic wavelengths extracted data, and preprocessed spectral characteristic wavelengths extracted data. Comparative analysis of the models indicated that the MMS + CARS + PLSR model exhibited the best prediction effect and could serve as the spectral quantitative analysis model for the evaluation of the infection degree of FHB in an in situ wheat canopy’s visible areas. The model extracted thirty-five characteristic wavelengths, with a modeling set coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9490 and a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 0.2384. The testing set of the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.9312, with a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 0.2588. The model can facilitate the spectral quantitative analysis of the infection degree of FHB in the in situ wheat canopy visible areas, thereby aiding in the implementation of China’s targeted poverty alleviation and agricultural power strategy.

Image-based time series analysis to establish differential disease progression for two Fusarium head blight pathogens in oat spikelets with variable resistance.

Oat-based value-added products have increased their value as healthy foodstuff. Fusarium head blight (FHB) infections and the mycotoxins accumulated to the oat seeds, however, pose a challenge to oat production. The FHB infections are predicted to become more prevalent in the future changing climates and under more limited use of fungicides. Both these factors increase the pressure for breeding new resistant cultivars. Until now, however, genetic links in oats against FHB infection have been difficult to identify. Therefore, there is a great need for more effective breeding efforts, including improved phenotyping methods allowing time series analysis and the identification of molecular markers during disease progression. To these ends, dissected spikelets of several oat genotypes with different resistance profiles were studied by image-based methods during disease progression by Fusarium culmorum or F. langsethiae species. The chlorophyll fluorescence of each pixel in the spikelets was recorded after inoculation by the two Fusarium spp., and the progression of the infections was analyzed by calculating the mean maximum quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm) values for each spikelet. The recorded values were (i) the change in the photosynthetically active area of the spikelet as percentage of its initial size, and (ii) the mean of Fv/Fm values of all fluorescent pixels per spikelet post inoculation, both indicative of the progression of the FHB disease. The disease progression was successfully monitored, and different stages of the infection could be defined along the time series. The data also confirmed the differential rate of disease progression by the two FHB causal agents. In addition, oat varieties with variable responses to the infections were indicated.

Impact of Fusarium Head Blight on Wheat Flour Quality: Examination of Protease Activity, Technological Quality and Rheological Properties

Wheat infections caused by Fusarium represent a global agricultural problem that reduces grain yield and negatively impacts wheat’s technological and rheological quality. Although fungal proteases or an increase in endogenous proteases due to Fusarium infection could negatively influence wheat storage proteins and dough performance, little research has been performed on either of these topics. The primary objective of this study was to identify the effect of Fusarium infection on protease activity in 25 wheat cultivars grown in two distinct locations in eastern Croatia. Apart from proteolytic activity, this paper describes the impact of Fusarium head blight (FHB) infection on the technological quality parameters of wheat flour and the dough’s rheological properties. The first treatment consisted of naturally grown, healthy wheat without fungicides, while the second treatment utilized wheat varieties subjected to intense FHB infection. Protein and wet gluten content in wheat grain and flour of uninfected cultivars were heavily influenced by testing location, soil type, and quality. Fusarium infection increased the activity of nonspecific proteases by 43% in flour samples from Osijek and 125% in flour samples from Tovarnik. Estimates of effect size showed that FHB infection had twice as big an effect on protease activity in Tovarnik as in Osijek, and a similar trend was found for dough softening. Moreover, the infection significantly impacted wheat cultivars’ extensograph values, indicating a lower resistance to stretching, extensibility, and total stretching energy in infected flour samples, indicating that dough functionality and volume loss can be attributed to exogenous fungal proteases. Still, the magnitude of the effect varied depending on the growth location and the cultivar’s traits. Multivariate data analysis identified three clusters of wheat cultivars, each with varying degrees of the Fusarium infection’s effects. Some cultivars displayed consistent protease activity and flour quality across sites. In contrast, others showed variability in their responses due to environmental conditions. To conclude, genetic resistance could provide adequate control of FHB, guaranteeing the successful protection of wheat quality. However, the possibility of confounding factors influencing genetic and cultivation conditions must be considered, and further research is needed to understand their interaction.

Anthesis in small grains and Fusarium head blight infection

Anthesis in small grains and Fusarium head blight infection

Erosion of Quantitative Resistance in Wheat and Barley to fusarium Head Blight: Gene Pyramiding Achieves and Durability Study

Background: Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by several fusarium species, is one of the diseases causing the greatest worldwide damage to small grain cereals, especially wheat and barley. FHB outbreaks can substantially diminish grain yield and end-use quality due to sterile florets and withered mycotoxin-contaminated grain kernels. Great effort has been accomplished to combat FHB in the past decades; however, solutions to prevent FHB damage are limited. The development of quantitative resistant cultivars is considered a sustainable and highly desired approach to reducing FHB damage. Objective: This review aims to combine novel data related to the potential ability of pathogens to evolve aggressiveness, erosion of quantitative head blight resistance in wheat and barley, and applying gene pyramiding which enhances host resistance to FHB infection to achieve durable head blight resistance. Results: Although FHB-resistance resources have been successfully utilized by resistant parents in wheat and barley breeding programs globally, this policy does not ensure high resistance to FHB since resistance will erode due to aggressiveness shifts of the head blight population. The increasing practice of monoculture wheat and barley cultivation has perhaps raised the rate of head blight pathogen evolution and obligated the natural balance shifting in favor of the pathogen, creating more repeated and grave epidemics, even in provinces where FHB has not been earlier recorded. More aggressive FHB populations have emerged in the field and under experimental laboratory conditions. It suggests adaptation followed by a spread of some strains in their environment, including adaptation to FHB-resistant breeds and possible erosion of wheat and barely resistance. Therefore, the pyramiding of several QTLs with high impact in one cereal cultivar may extend durability. Conclusion: If a pyramiding of multiple resistances improving QTL combined with selection against suspected susceptibility factors is achieved in novel cultivars, the evolution of FHB pathogens might be slowed owing to reduced exposure to the pathogen, disruptive selection on FHB populations and subsequently reduced fitness of fusarium fungi. This would stabilize the pathogen population and contribute to the durability of FHB resistance.