Pathogenicity and Metabolomic Characterization of <i>Fusarium graminearum</i> and <i>Fusarium poae</i> Challenge in Barley under Controlled Conditions

Barley is the third most important cereal crop in terms of production in Canada, and Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the main fungal diseases of barley. FHB is caused by a species complex of Fusaria, of which <i>Fusarium graminearum</i> Schwabe is the main causal species of FHB epid...

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Main Authors: Raja Khanal, Kerin Hudson, Adam Foster, Xiben Wang, Elizabeth K. Brauer, Thomas E. Witte, David P. Overy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-09-01
Series:Journal of Fungi
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/10/10/670
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author Raja Khanal
Kerin Hudson
Adam Foster
Xiben Wang
Elizabeth K. Brauer
Thomas E. Witte
David P. Overy
author_facet Raja Khanal
Kerin Hudson
Adam Foster
Xiben Wang
Elizabeth K. Brauer
Thomas E. Witte
David P. Overy
author_sort Raja Khanal
collection DOAJ
description Barley is the third most important cereal crop in terms of production in Canada, and Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the main fungal diseases of barley. FHB is caused by a species complex of Fusaria, of which <i>Fusarium graminearum</i> Schwabe is the main causal species of FHB epidemics in Canada. Field surveys show that two or more <i>Fusarium</i> species often co-exist within the same field or grain sample, and <i>F. poae</i> is reported as another important species in barley. This study aimed to determine the pathogenicity of <i>F. graminearum</i>, <i>F. poae</i>, and a co-inoculation of both species causing FHB in barley. Two susceptible barley cultivars were spray-inoculated at 10 to 14 days after heading. Phenotypic disease severity was rated on a scale of 0–9 at 4, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after inoculation. There was a significant difference in FHB severity between <i>F. graminearum</i> and <i>F. poae</i>, where infection with <i>F. graminearum</i> produced more severe disease ratings. <i>F. poae</i> generated lower disease ratings and was not statistically different from the control. When heads were co-inoculated with both <i>Fusarium</i> species, the resulting FHB severity was unchanged relative to heads inoculated with <i>F. graminearum</i> only. The ratio of <i>F. graminearum</i> to <i>F. poae</i> genomic DNA was also no different than when heads were inoculated with <i>F. graminearum</i> alone, as quantified with ddPCR using markers specific to each species. The metabolomic analysis of sample extracts showed that <i>F. graminearum</i>-associated metabolites dominated the mycotoxin profile of co-inoculated samples, which corroborated our other findings where <i>F. graminearum</i> appeared to outcompete <i>F. poae</i> in barley. No significant effect on visual FHB disease ratings or fungal DNA detection was observed between the cultivars tested. However, there were some metabolome differences between cultivars in response to the challenge by both <i>F. graminearum</i> and <i>F. poae</i>.
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spelling doaj-art-ed33e696ccfd4905804b45589b6f86fc2025-08-20T02:10:54ZengMDPI AGJournal of Fungi2309-608X2024-09-01101067010.3390/jof10100670Pathogenicity and Metabolomic Characterization of <i>Fusarium graminearum</i> and <i>Fusarium poae</i> Challenge in Barley under Controlled ConditionsRaja Khanal0Kerin Hudson1Adam Foster2Xiben Wang3Elizabeth K. Brauer4Thomas E. Witte5David P. Overy6Ottawa Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0C6, CanadaOttawa Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0C6, CanadaCharlottetown Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4N6, CanadaMorden Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Morden, MB R6M 1Y5, CanadaOttawa Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0C6, CanadaOttawa Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0C6, CanadaOttawa Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0C6, CanadaBarley is the third most important cereal crop in terms of production in Canada, and Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the main fungal diseases of barley. FHB is caused by a species complex of Fusaria, of which <i>Fusarium graminearum</i> Schwabe is the main causal species of FHB epidemics in Canada. Field surveys show that two or more <i>Fusarium</i> species often co-exist within the same field or grain sample, and <i>F. poae</i> is reported as another important species in barley. This study aimed to determine the pathogenicity of <i>F. graminearum</i>, <i>F. poae</i>, and a co-inoculation of both species causing FHB in barley. Two susceptible barley cultivars were spray-inoculated at 10 to 14 days after heading. Phenotypic disease severity was rated on a scale of 0–9 at 4, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after inoculation. There was a significant difference in FHB severity between <i>F. graminearum</i> and <i>F. poae</i>, where infection with <i>F. graminearum</i> produced more severe disease ratings. <i>F. poae</i> generated lower disease ratings and was not statistically different from the control. When heads were co-inoculated with both <i>Fusarium</i> species, the resulting FHB severity was unchanged relative to heads inoculated with <i>F. graminearum</i> only. The ratio of <i>F. graminearum</i> to <i>F. poae</i> genomic DNA was also no different than when heads were inoculated with <i>F. graminearum</i> alone, as quantified with ddPCR using markers specific to each species. The metabolomic analysis of sample extracts showed that <i>F. graminearum</i>-associated metabolites dominated the mycotoxin profile of co-inoculated samples, which corroborated our other findings where <i>F. graminearum</i> appeared to outcompete <i>F. poae</i> in barley. No significant effect on visual FHB disease ratings or fungal DNA detection was observed between the cultivars tested. However, there were some metabolome differences between cultivars in response to the challenge by both <i>F. graminearum</i> and <i>F. poae</i>.https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/10/10/670Fusarium head blight<i>Fusarium graminearum</i><i>Fusarium poae</i>barleydeoxynivalenol
spellingShingle Raja Khanal
Kerin Hudson
Adam Foster
Xiben Wang
Elizabeth K. Brauer
Thomas E. Witte
David P. Overy
Pathogenicity and Metabolomic Characterization of <i>Fusarium graminearum</i> and <i>Fusarium poae</i> Challenge in Barley under Controlled Conditions
Journal of Fungi
Fusarium head blight
<i>Fusarium graminearum</i>
<i>Fusarium poae</i>
barley
deoxynivalenol
title Pathogenicity and Metabolomic Characterization of <i>Fusarium graminearum</i> and <i>Fusarium poae</i> Challenge in Barley under Controlled Conditions
title_full Pathogenicity and Metabolomic Characterization of <i>Fusarium graminearum</i> and <i>Fusarium poae</i> Challenge in Barley under Controlled Conditions
title_fullStr Pathogenicity and Metabolomic Characterization of <i>Fusarium graminearum</i> and <i>Fusarium poae</i> Challenge in Barley under Controlled Conditions
title_full_unstemmed Pathogenicity and Metabolomic Characterization of <i>Fusarium graminearum</i> and <i>Fusarium poae</i> Challenge in Barley under Controlled Conditions
title_short Pathogenicity and Metabolomic Characterization of <i>Fusarium graminearum</i> and <i>Fusarium poae</i> Challenge in Barley under Controlled Conditions
title_sort pathogenicity and metabolomic characterization of i fusarium graminearum i and i fusarium poae i challenge in barley under controlled conditions
topic Fusarium head blight
<i>Fusarium graminearum</i>
<i>Fusarium poae</i>
barley
deoxynivalenol
url https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/10/10/670
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