Molecular Determination of Toxigenic Potential of Fusarium spp. Isolated from Seeds of Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Genotypes and Evaluation of Levels of Fumonisins in the Grains at Harvest in Three Major Wheat Producing Counties in Kenya

Infestation of cereals such as wheat by pathogenic Fusarium species (Fusarium spp.) is associated with over 25% weight loss of the grain and accumulation of hazardous mycotoxins. Potential management strategies against the pathogens include the development of more resistant wheat genotypes and the d...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Phanice Kheseli Otieno, Susan S. Imbahale, Vitalis Wafula Wekesa, Miriam Otipa, Sheila Okoth
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2022-01-01
Series:International Journal of Agronomy
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/1428312
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850158621253435392
author Phanice Kheseli Otieno
Susan S. Imbahale
Vitalis Wafula Wekesa
Miriam Otipa
Sheila Okoth
author_facet Phanice Kheseli Otieno
Susan S. Imbahale
Vitalis Wafula Wekesa
Miriam Otipa
Sheila Okoth
author_sort Phanice Kheseli Otieno
collection DOAJ
description Infestation of cereals such as wheat by pathogenic Fusarium species (Fusarium spp.) is associated with over 25% weight loss of the grain and accumulation of hazardous mycotoxins. Potential management strategies against the pathogens include the development of more resistant wheat genotypes and the development of rapid and accurate Fusarium spp. identification methods, among other control measures. This study evaluated the toxigenic potential in populations of Fusarium spp. isolated from seeds of locally developed wheat genotypes and levels of fumonisins in the grains at harvest in three counties in Kenya. The sampling of the wheat grains took place between September 2016 and October 2017. Determination of toxigenic potential was PCR based using Tri13F/Tri13DONR and FUM1F/FUM1R specific primer pairs while detection of fumonisin levels was done using Total Fumonisin Assay 0.25/5.0 ELISA kit. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and the Tukey HSD test. FUM1 gene was detected in 60% of the Fusarium spp. analyzed. The distribution of the gene within the isolates across the three regions was as follows: Narok: 54%, Uasin Gishu: 25%, and Nakuru: 21%. Tri13DON gene was not detected in the assessed potential deoxynivalenol (DON) producers. Fumonisin levels in the wheat samples from the three counties were significantly different (p<0.001). The highest fumonisin levels, 9.6 ppm, occurred in 30.7% of the grains of the studied wheat genotypes. Relatively high fumonisin levels occurred in Njoro II, Eagle 10, Robin, and Korongo wheat genotypes with no significant difference at 0.05 confidence interval. In conclusion, the toxigenic potential amongst the Fusarium spp. studied was confirmed based on the occurrence of FUM1 gene and the detection of fumonisins in 76% of the sampled wheat grains. More research is recommended to ascertain the prevalence of the genes determining the production of DON and the other trichothecenes in Fusarium spp. prevalent in the developed wheat genotypes in the different agroecological regions in Kenya. In addition, the assessment of the occurrence and levels of the respectful mycotoxins also needs further research. These would provide additional information for the improvement of strategies put in place to manage the effects of the pathogenic Fusarium spp. in the crop and to ensure mycotoxin safety of the wheat food chain for both livestock and human consumption. It also shows the need for the development of more disease-resistant wheat varieties by wheat seed-producing companies.
format Article
id doaj-art-65a8f19910d24839aa1d7ed7ee1f2be3
institution OA Journals
issn 1687-8167
language English
publishDate 2022-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series International Journal of Agronomy
spelling doaj-art-65a8f19910d24839aa1d7ed7ee1f2be32025-08-20T02:23:49ZengWileyInternational Journal of Agronomy1687-81672022-01-01202210.1155/2022/1428312Molecular Determination of Toxigenic Potential of Fusarium spp. Isolated from Seeds of Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Genotypes and Evaluation of Levels of Fumonisins in the Grains at Harvest in Three Major Wheat Producing Counties in KenyaPhanice Kheseli Otieno0Susan S. Imbahale1Vitalis Wafula Wekesa2Miriam Otipa3Sheila Okoth4Department of Applied and Technical BiologyDepartment of Applied and Technical BiologyDudutech IPM LimitedKenya Agricultural Research and Livestock OrganizationSchool of Biological SciencesInfestation of cereals such as wheat by pathogenic Fusarium species (Fusarium spp.) is associated with over 25% weight loss of the grain and accumulation of hazardous mycotoxins. Potential management strategies against the pathogens include the development of more resistant wheat genotypes and the development of rapid and accurate Fusarium spp. identification methods, among other control measures. This study evaluated the toxigenic potential in populations of Fusarium spp. isolated from seeds of locally developed wheat genotypes and levels of fumonisins in the grains at harvest in three counties in Kenya. The sampling of the wheat grains took place between September 2016 and October 2017. Determination of toxigenic potential was PCR based using Tri13F/Tri13DONR and FUM1F/FUM1R specific primer pairs while detection of fumonisin levels was done using Total Fumonisin Assay 0.25/5.0 ELISA kit. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and the Tukey HSD test. FUM1 gene was detected in 60% of the Fusarium spp. analyzed. The distribution of the gene within the isolates across the three regions was as follows: Narok: 54%, Uasin Gishu: 25%, and Nakuru: 21%. Tri13DON gene was not detected in the assessed potential deoxynivalenol (DON) producers. Fumonisin levels in the wheat samples from the three counties were significantly different (p<0.001). The highest fumonisin levels, 9.6 ppm, occurred in 30.7% of the grains of the studied wheat genotypes. Relatively high fumonisin levels occurred in Njoro II, Eagle 10, Robin, and Korongo wheat genotypes with no significant difference at 0.05 confidence interval. In conclusion, the toxigenic potential amongst the Fusarium spp. studied was confirmed based on the occurrence of FUM1 gene and the detection of fumonisins in 76% of the sampled wheat grains. More research is recommended to ascertain the prevalence of the genes determining the production of DON and the other trichothecenes in Fusarium spp. prevalent in the developed wheat genotypes in the different agroecological regions in Kenya. In addition, the assessment of the occurrence and levels of the respectful mycotoxins also needs further research. These would provide additional information for the improvement of strategies put in place to manage the effects of the pathogenic Fusarium spp. in the crop and to ensure mycotoxin safety of the wheat food chain for both livestock and human consumption. It also shows the need for the development of more disease-resistant wheat varieties by wheat seed-producing companies.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/1428312
spellingShingle Phanice Kheseli Otieno
Susan S. Imbahale
Vitalis Wafula Wekesa
Miriam Otipa
Sheila Okoth
Molecular Determination of Toxigenic Potential of Fusarium spp. Isolated from Seeds of Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Genotypes and Evaluation of Levels of Fumonisins in the Grains at Harvest in Three Major Wheat Producing Counties in Kenya
International Journal of Agronomy
title Molecular Determination of Toxigenic Potential of Fusarium spp. Isolated from Seeds of Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Genotypes and Evaluation of Levels of Fumonisins in the Grains at Harvest in Three Major Wheat Producing Counties in Kenya
title_full Molecular Determination of Toxigenic Potential of Fusarium spp. Isolated from Seeds of Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Genotypes and Evaluation of Levels of Fumonisins in the Grains at Harvest in Three Major Wheat Producing Counties in Kenya
title_fullStr Molecular Determination of Toxigenic Potential of Fusarium spp. Isolated from Seeds of Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Genotypes and Evaluation of Levels of Fumonisins in the Grains at Harvest in Three Major Wheat Producing Counties in Kenya
title_full_unstemmed Molecular Determination of Toxigenic Potential of Fusarium spp. Isolated from Seeds of Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Genotypes and Evaluation of Levels of Fumonisins in the Grains at Harvest in Three Major Wheat Producing Counties in Kenya
title_short Molecular Determination of Toxigenic Potential of Fusarium spp. Isolated from Seeds of Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Genotypes and Evaluation of Levels of Fumonisins in the Grains at Harvest in Three Major Wheat Producing Counties in Kenya
title_sort molecular determination of toxigenic potential of fusarium spp isolated from seeds of wheat triticum aestivum genotypes and evaluation of levels of fumonisins in the grains at harvest in three major wheat producing counties in kenya
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/1428312
work_keys_str_mv AT phanicekheseliotieno moleculardeterminationoftoxigenicpotentialoffusariumsppisolatedfromseedsofwheattriticumaestivumgenotypesandevaluationoflevelsoffumonisinsinthegrainsatharvestinthreemajorwheatproducingcountiesinkenya
AT susansimbahale moleculardeterminationoftoxigenicpotentialoffusariumsppisolatedfromseedsofwheattriticumaestivumgenotypesandevaluationoflevelsoffumonisinsinthegrainsatharvestinthreemajorwheatproducingcountiesinkenya
AT vitaliswafulawekesa moleculardeterminationoftoxigenicpotentialoffusariumsppisolatedfromseedsofwheattriticumaestivumgenotypesandevaluationoflevelsoffumonisinsinthegrainsatharvestinthreemajorwheatproducingcountiesinkenya
AT miriamotipa moleculardeterminationoftoxigenicpotentialoffusariumsppisolatedfromseedsofwheattriticumaestivumgenotypesandevaluationoflevelsoffumonisinsinthegrainsatharvestinthreemajorwheatproducingcountiesinkenya
AT sheilaokoth moleculardeterminationoftoxigenicpotentialoffusariumsppisolatedfromseedsofwheattriticumaestivumgenotypesandevaluationoflevelsoffumonisinsinthegrainsatharvestinthreemajorwheatproducingcountiesinkenya