Fusarium Head Blight and Deoxynivalenol: What is the relationship and how may fungicides help?

Abstract

Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) disease, caused mainly by Fusarium gramineraum, is one of the most common in wheat. Besides causing yield reductions, it is also associated with the accumulation of mycotoxins in the kernels, especially deoxynivalenol (DON). This work was carried out in two harvest seasons and aimed at using different sowing dates, cultivars and fungicide applications to help in the increase of yield and kernel quality (decrease of DON contamination). The work was developed under a randomized block design. Weak correlations between FHB incidence, incidence of Fusarium in the kernels and DON were observed. Fungicides helped in the increase of yields and in the achievement of better hectoliter weight and weight of a thousand kernels, mainly in 2019 (more humid year). Fungicides are excellent tools to help achieving higher yields, however, its use must be carried out with caution not to favor mycotoxin biosynthesis and accumulation.

Keywords

• DON
• Fusarium graminearum
• Mycotoxins
• Wheat