Fumonisin Production by Field Isolates of the Gibberella fujikuroi Species Complex and Fusarium commune Obtained from Rice and Corn in Korea

Gibberellea fujikuroi species (Gf) complex comprises at least 15 species, most of which not only causes seriousplant diseases, but also produces mycotoxins including fumonisins. Here, we focused on the abilities of thefield isolates belonging to the Gf complex associated with rice and corn, respectively in Korea to producefumonisin, all of which were confirmed to carry FUM1, the polyketide synthase gene essential for fumonisinbiosynthesis. A total of 88 Gf complex isolates (55 F. fujikuroi, 10 F. verticillioides, 20 F. proliferatum, 2 F.subglutinans, and 1 F. concentricum), and 4 isolates of F. commune, which is a non-member of Gf complex,were grown on rice substrate and determined for their production levels of fumonisins by a HPLC method.Most isolates of F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum, regardless of host origins, produced fumonisin B1 and B2at diverse ranges of levels (0.5−2,686.4 μg/g, and 0.7−1,497.6 μg/g, respectively). In contrast, all the isolates ofF. fujikuroi and other Fusarium species examined produced no fumonisins or only trace amounts (