A high proportion of NX-2 genotype strains are found among Fusarium graminearum isolates from northeastern New York State

• Published in: European journal of plant pathology 2018-03, Vol.150 (3), p.791-796
• Main Authors: Lofgren, Lotus, Riddle, Jakob, Dong, Yanhong, Kuhnem, Paulo R., Cummings, Jaime A., Del Ponte, Emerson M., Bergstrom, Gary C., Kistler, H. Corby
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture; Air sampling; Barley; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Contaminants; Corn; Disease control; Ecology; Fungi; Fusarium; Fusarium graminearum; Genotypes; Grain; Host specificity; Life Sciences; Mycotoxins; Pathogens; Plant breeding; Plant diseases; Plant Pathology; Plant Sciences; Strains (organisms); Stubble; Toxins; Triticum; Virulence; Virulence factors; Wheat
• ISSN: 0929-1873; 1573-8469
• DOI: 10.1007/s10658-017-1314-6

Fusarium graminearum , a fungal pathogen of wheat, barley, and corn, produces a variety of trichothecene mycotoxins that are important as virulence factors and as seed contaminants reducing grain quality. A previous survey of the pathogen in New York State identified variation in genes indicative of trichothecene diversity. Recently F. graminearum strains that produce a newly characterized trichothecene mycotoxin called NX-2 have been identified in North America. Using a large collection of F. graminearum strains from Willsboro NY, we found that the frequency of NX-2 genotype strains was 7–14 times higher than at other locations where it was reported previously. NX-2 genotypes were not only found in wheat heads but also found in high frequency from air samples and on maize ears and stubble. Because NX-2 genotypes may represent as much as 20% of the total F. graminearum population, this regional fungal population provides an opportunity to assess the effects of the novel NX-2 trichothecene on fungal virulence, toxin loading, and patterns of host specificity that could inform future disease management and plant breeding.