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A 2-year field experiment was conducted to determine the effects of Fusarium sporotrichioides, F. langsethiae, or F. poae on durum wheat plants artificially inoculated at different growth stages. The percentage of symptomatic kernels was similar among the three species, but incidence of infected kernels was lower for F. langsethiae. Kernel colonization was higher when plants were inoculated before and during anthesis for F. sporotrichioides and F. poae, but unaffected by timing of inoculation for F. langsethiae. Production of T-2/HT-2 toxins was higher for F. sporotrichioides than for F. langsethiae. Significant accumulations of nivalenol were detected for F. poae. Across all three species, there was a weak correlation (r=0.16; P=0.031) between the incidences of symptomatic and infected kernels, but a stronger correlation (r=0.53; P<0.001) between infection incidence and the quantity of fungal DNA (species-specific) in kernels. Mycotoxin content was correlated (r>0.58; P<0.007) with infection incidence or fungal DNA in kernels, but only for F. sporotrichioides and F. poae.

View references (7) MycoKey, an EU-funded Horizon 2020 project, includes a series of “Roundtable Discussions” to gather information on trending research areas in the field of mycotoxicology. This paper includes summaries of the Roundtable Discussions on Chemical Detection and Monitoring of mycotoxins and on the role of genetics and biodiversity in mycotoxin production. Discussions were managed by using the nominal group discussion technique, which generates numerous ideas and provides a ranking for those identified as the most important. Four questions were posed for each research area, as well as two questions that were common to both discussions. Test kits, usually antibody based, were one major focus of the discussions at the Chemical Detection and Monitoring roundtable because of their many favorable features, e.g., cost, speed and ease of use. The second area of focus for this roundtable was multi-mycotoxin detection protocols and the challenges still to be met to enable these protocols to become methods of choice for regulated mycotoxins. For the genetic and biodiversity group, both the depth and the breadth of trending research areas were notable. For some areas, e.g., microbiome studies, the suggested research questions were primarily of a descriptive nature. In other areas, multiple experimental approaches, e.g., transcriptomics, proteomics, RNAi and gene deletions, are needed to understand the regulation of toxin production and mechanisms underlying successful biological controls. Answers to the research questions will provide starting points for developing acceptable prevention and remediation processes. Forging a partnership between scientists and appropriately-placed communications experts was recognized by both groups as an essential step to communicating risks, while retaining overall confidence in the safety of the food supply and the integrity of the food production chain.

© 2014 Elsevier Ltd. Contamination of wheat grain by beauvericin (BEA) and enniatins (ENs) is a global emerging mycotoxicological food problem. In this study, strains of Fusarium avenaceum (FA), Fusarium poae (FP), Fusarium equiseti and Fusarium sporotrichioides, all potential BEA and EN producers, isolated from 162 grain samples of durum and soft wheat harvested in 2009 and 2010 collected in an area of central Italy, were preliminarily screened for the presence of the esyn1 gene, encoding the multifunctional enzyme enniatin-synthetase for the detection of potential hexadepsipeptide-producing isolates. All positive isolates were tested for their ability to biosynthesize BEA and ENs invitro. In addition, all wheat samples were investigated for the natural presence of BEA and ENs (ENA, ENA1, ENB, ENB1). All FA and FP strains resulted to be positive for the presence of the esyn1 gene. All FA strains showed the ability to biosynthesize ENs invitro but not BEA. Conversely, all FP strains resulted to be BEA producers and some of them co-biosynthesized ENs. A remarkable presence of "emerging" mycotoxins was found in the grains, particularly ENs. Co-contamination by BEA and ENs also occurred. This study gives an important contribution to assess the risk posed by mycotoxigenic fungi and their mycotoxins in food.