Looking for Fusarium Resistance in Oats: An Update

Abstract

In recent years, an increase of interest has arisen in oats due to their unique health-related properties. Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) is recognized as a major threat to oat production and safety. The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) assesses the risks of the presence of Fusarium-produced mycotoxins in foods and the tolerable intake level. This paper summarizes updates on Fusarium resistance in oats, describing the advances in phenotyping strategies and diagnostics methods and discussing the role of the infection process of the microbiome and bioactive compounds peculiar to oats. A special emphasis has been placed on the presentation of new genetic, genomic, and biotechnological knowledge and tools available today and their perspectives on breeding programs aiming to develop FHB-resistant genotypes.