Agronomic practices influence the infection of an oats cultivar with Fusarium langsethiae

Imathiu, S. M. and Ray, R. V. and Back, M. and Hare, M. C. and Edwards, S. G. (2017) Agronomic practices influence the infection of an oats cultivar with Fusarium langsethiae. Acta Phytopathologica et Entomologica Hungarica, 52 (1). pp. 15-27. ISSN 0238-1249

Preview

Text 038.52.2017.009.pdf Download (290kB) | Preview

Abstract

Fusarium langsethiae, a toxigenic fungus known to contaminate small-grain cereals with type A trichothecene mycotoxins, HT-2 and T-2 was described as a new species in 2004. HT-2 and T-2 are some of the most potent Fusarium toxins in eukaryotes, capable of inhibiting protein synthesis. The epidemiology of F. langsethiae is not well understood and with the intent of the European Commission to set maximum levels of contamination of cereals with these toxins, importance is currently placed in trying to understand the fungal infection process and its favorable growth conditions. A field study was carried out to investigate the effect of artificially inoculated oats straw, ploughing and minimum tillage with and without incorporated crop debris (straw) on infection and mycotoxin production by F. langsethiae on oats cultivar Gerald. The results indicated that cultural field practices had effects on the infection of oats by F. langsethiae. Fusarium langsethiae DNA was quantified in significantly larger amounts (p<0.05) in minimum tilled with incorporated straw plot samples than in other plot samples. It was also shown that inoculated straw had no significant effect (p>0.05) on oat infection by F. langsethiae as quantified by DNA concentration. HT-2+T-2 quantification and analysis, gave no good evidence that either inoculation or cultural practice had any significant influence on the concentration of mycotoxins in the samples (p>0.05), but samples from minimum tillage with incorporated straw plots resulted in 2.5 times more HT-2+T-2 toxins than samples from ploughed with removed straw. These findings indicate the importance of tillage and crop debris management in the mitigation in an effort to prevent F. langsethiae infection, colonization and possible contamination of oats with HT-2 and T-2 toxins.

Actions (login required)

Edit Item