SHORT COMMUNICATION
Characterization of the Relationships between
Wheat Cultivars, Fusarium Head Blight,
and Mycofl ora Grains
Wojciech Pusz1,2, Fabio Mascher2,
Elżbieta Czembor3, Jerzy Czembor3,4, Rafał Ogórek5
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1Department of Plant Protection, Wrocław University of Environmental and
Life Sciences Wrocław, Poland
2Agroscope Institute of Plant Production Sciences (IPS)
Nyon, Switzerland
3Departament of Grasses, Legumes and Energy Plants, Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute – NRI, Poland
4National Centre for Plant Genetic Resources, Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute – NRI, Poland
5Department of Genetics, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Wrocław, Poland
Submission date: 2015-12-29
Final revision date: 2016-02-19
Acceptance date: 2016-02-20
Publication date: 2016-05-25
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2016;25(3):1373-1380
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ABSTRACT
Stored wheat grains are colonized by a wide range of saprophytic and pathogenic fungi. Contamination
by mycotoxigenic species like Fusarium spp. raise concern about the food safety of the commodity. Different
environmental and genetic factors govern colonization. The present work studies the relationships between
the wheat variety and the resistance against Fusarium head blight (FHB) among the diversity of grain
colonizers. Five Swiss and five Polish varieties were planted in an experimental site, and the grains were
harvested and stored according to a unified protocol in order to avoid contamination during and after harvest.
In parallel, the resistance of the varieties was established by conducting trials at two other experimental
sites with artificial infections. Overall, about 18 fungal taxa were identified on the grains from the plot trial.
Results show significant differences in the presence and abundance of fungal species between the varieties.
Colonization, in particular with Fusarium spp., was not correlated with FHB resistance. The experiments
demonstrate that the factor variety can influence the colonization of wheat grains by fungi. Future research
must help to better understand the plant traits that govern the differential colonization. These findings should
be considered in future studies on wheat storage and food safety.