Effect of Temperature, Water Activity and Incubation Time on Trichothecene Production by IFusarium cerealis/I Isolated from Durum Wheat Grains

• Published in: Pathogens (Basel) Vol. 12; no. 5
• Main Authors: Erazo, Jessica G, Palacios, Sofía A, Veliz, Nuria A, Del Canto, Agostina, Plem, Silvana, Ramirez, María L, Torres, Adriana M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 01-05-2023
• Subjects: Chemical properties; Development and progression; Diseases and pests; Durum wheat; Environmental aspects; Fungal diseases of plants; Fusarium; Infectious disease incubation period; Microbiological research; Mycotoxins; Physiological aspects; Risk factors; Vapor pressure; Water chemistry; Argentina
• ISSN: 2076-0817; 2076-0817
• DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12050736

Fusarium cerealis is a causal agent of Fusarium Head Blight in wheat, and it produces both deoxynivalenol (DON) and nivalenol (NIV). Nevertheless, the effect of environmental factors on the growth and mycotoxin production of this species has not been studied so far. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of environmental factors on the growth and mycotoxin production of F. cerealis strains. All strains were able to grow in a wide range of water activity (a[sub.W] ) and temperatures, but their mycotoxin production was influenced by strain and environmental factors. NIV was produced at high a[sub.W] and temperatures, while optimal conditions for DON production were observed at low a[sub.W] . Interestingly, some strains were able to simultaneously produce both toxins, which could pose a more significant risk for grain contamination.