Genotype profile of the Fusarium graminearum species complex in barley grains by quantitative PCR

• Grant number: 21/04730-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2021
• End date: December 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Science
• Principal Investigator: Liliana de Oliveira Rocha
• Grantee: Letícia Aliberti Galego Alves da Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/04811-4 - Population structure of the Fusarium graminearum species complex and mycotoxin contamination of cultivated and native barley in Brazil, AP.JP

Abstract

Mycotoxin contamination in cereals and other foods leads to substantial economic losses. The Fusarium graminearum species complex (FGSC) is the main responsible for causin Fusarium Head Blight in cereals, and this species complex is able to produce trichothecenes of type B and zearalenone, important mycotoxins that may cause health problems to humans and animals and lead to losses in the agriculture systems. The FGSC is divided into 16 phylogenetic species, with phylogeographer structure; the strains are subdivided according to the production of type B trichothecenes and their intermediate metabolites. These chemotypes are linked to the expression of specific genes, therefore, the characterization based on these genes is called genotype profile, namely: DON (deoxynivalenol) or NIV (nivalenol) and 3-acetyl and 15-acetyl deoxynivalenol. Therefore, the genotype profile in cereals indicates the potential for contamination by the aforementioned mycotoxins and, through the quantitative PCR technique, it is possible to quantify these genes in the samples. Thus, the objective of this work is to determine the type B trichothecene genotypes in barley grains and correlate the results with contamination of DON and NIV previously quantified during this project. (AU)