Fusarium species associated with Fusarium head blight in Hungarian wheat fields

Abstract

Species composition of the genus Fusarium associated with Fusarium head blight (FHB) in wheat fields of Hungary in the year 2019 was assessed. Symptomatic wheat heads were collected at twenty geographical locations representing different ecosystems. A total of 256 Fusarium strains were isolated and identified by partial sequences of the translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene and, where required, the second largest subunit of the DNA-directed RNA polymerase gene. Overall, F. graminearum (58.2%) proved to be the dominant species followed by F. annulatum (formerly F. proliferatum) (17.2%) and F. verticillioides (7.4%). Presence of all other species including F. culmorum in the population was below 5%. Fusarium graminearum proved to be the major species associated with FHB at 14 sampling sites. The fumonisin producing F. annulatum, primarily known as the pathogen of maize in Hungary, was detected about as frequently as F. graminearum at three locations, and dominated at two additional sites. Fusarium poae was not found during the survey. Fusarium vorosii, a species said to be of Asian origin already found in Hungary in 2002, was identified at two locations.