title: Characterization of Fusarium verticillioides strains isolated from maize in Italy: fumonisin production, pathogenicity and genetic variability.
abstract: Fusarium verticillioides (teleomorph Gibberella moniliformis) is the main fungal agent of ear and kernel rot of maize (Zea mays L.) worldwide, including Italy. F.verticillioides is a highly toxigenic species since it is able to produce the carcinogenic mycotoxins fumonisins. In this study, 25 F. verticillioides strains, isolated from maize in different regions of Italy were analyzed for their ability to produce fumonisins, their pathogenicity and their genetic variability. A further referenced strain of G. moniliformis isolated from maize in USA was also used as outgroup. The fumonisins B₁, B₂, and B₃ were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Pathogenicity tests were carried out by symptom observation and determination of growth parameters after inoculation of maize seeds, seedlings and wounded detached leaves. Total genomic DNA was used for Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) analysis. About 20% of the analyzed strains were unable to produce fumonisins in in vitro experiments on inoculated maize flour, while, among fumonisin producers, a great variability was observed, with values ranging from 1 to 115 mg kg⁻¹. The different analyzed strains showed a wide range of pathogenicity in terms of effect on seed germination, seedling development and of symptoms produced on detached leaves, which were not correlated with the different in vitro fumonisin production. AFLP analysis indicated the presence of genetic diversity not only between the Italian strains and the American reference but also among the Italian isolates.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy. lorenzo.covarelli@unipg.it
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Covarelli
authors.forename: Simonetta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stifano
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Beccari
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Raggi
authors.forename: Veronica Maria Teresa
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Lattanzio
authors.forename: Emidio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Albertini
mesh_terms: D054458:Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005433:Flour / Q000382:microbiology; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods; D005516:Food Microbiology; D037341:Fumonisins / Q000032:analysis*; D005670:Fusarium / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D014644:Genetic Variation; D007558:Italy; D005810:Multigene Family; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D003313:Zea mays / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D037341:Fumonisins