Species composition and molecular assessment of the toxigenic potential in the population of Fusarium spp. isolated from ears of winter wheat in southern Poland

The aim of this study was to identify the species composition and to evaluate the prevalence of genes involved in the synthesis of the following mycotoxins: deoxynivalenol, nivalenol and fumonisins in the population of Fusarium spp. isolated from ears of winter wheat in southern Poland. All fungal isolates were identified by the species-specific PCR or sequencing of the translation elongation factor. Significant differences were observed in both abundance and species composition of the collected strains between two years of studies. A total of 304 ear samples were processed and 107 Fusarium strains belonging to 10 species: F. graminearum, F. culmorum, F. sporotrichioides, F. poae, F. avenaceum, F. oxysporum, F. verticillioides, F. equiseti, F. tricinctum and F. cerealis were isolated in 2012 and 2013. Numerous presence of mycotoxin-biosynthesis pathway genes was detected in the examined material, which evidences the potential toxicity of the analyzed Fusarium fungi.