Moniliformin Accumulation and other Effects of Fusarium avenaceum (Fr.) Sacc. on Kernels of Winter Wheat Cultivars

Accumulation of the mycotoxin moniliformin (MON) and other effects on kernels were examined in 13 Polish winter wheat cultivars inoculated with F. avenaceum (Fr.) Sacc. isolate ATCC 64451. Kernels from inoculated ears were divided into three fractions: Fusarium damaged kernels (FDK), kernels with black point symptoms (BPK) and healthy looking kernels (HLK). The average moniliformin content (mg/kg) was highest in chaff (11.69), lower in infested kernels (FDK + BPK) (2.70) and lowest in HLK (1.16). The mean level (mg/kg) of moniliformin in kernels (total sample) ranged from 0.78 in cv. Liwilla to 3.84 in cv. Gama. Moniliformin levels in chaff were correlated ( r = 0.5322) with the average metabolite concentration (mg/kg) in kernels, and ranged from 4.97 in chaff of cv. Roma to 22.9 of cv. Alba. The moniliformin concentration in kernels (total sample) was highly correlated with the level of the metabolite in diseased kernels. This is the first report of the relationship of black point symptoms with F. avenaceum colonization of kernels and moniliformin accumulation.