Occurrence of Toxic Hexadepsipeptides in Preharvest Maize Ear Rot Infected by Fusarium poae in Poland

• Published in: Journal of phytopathology 2007, Vol.155 (1), p.8-12
• Main Authors: Chełkowski, J, Ritieni, A, Wiśniewska, H, Mulè, G, Logrieco, A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: beauvericin; Biological and medical sciences; enniatin; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungal plant pathogens; Fusarium poae; maize; mycotoxins; Oryza sativa; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Zea mays
• ISSN: 0931-1785; 1439-0434
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0434.2006.01173.x

Twenty-seven preharvest maize ears affected by Fusarium poae rot (disease score 36-100%) were selected in 1998 and 1999 in Poland and examined for the occurrence of toxic hexadepsipeptides: beauvericin (BEA), enniatin A, enniatin B and enniatin B₁. The identification of F. poae was confirmed by sequence analysis of variable internal transcribed spacer regions and compared with NCBI gene bank DNA sequences. Chemical analyses were performed by HPLC-MS. In 27 ears infected by F. poae were detected: BEA (trace to 46 μg/g) in 18 samples, enniatin A (trace to 37 μg/g) in nine samples, enniatin B (trace to 47 μg/g) in 15 samples and enniatin B₁ (trace to 25 μg/g) in 12 samples. When 20 strains of F. poae isolated from these samples were cultured on rice, all produced BEA (1.9-75 μg/g), three enniatin A (1.8-2 μg/g), 12 enniatin B (1.1-5.1 μg/g) and eight enniatin B₁ (1.2-5.2 μg/g). Occurrence and quantification of enniatin A, enniatin B and enniatin B₁ and their co-occurrence with BEA in maize kernels is reported for the first time.