Fumonisin and Beauvericin Chemotypes and Genotypes of the Sister Species <i>Fusarium subglutinans</i> and <i>Fusarium temperatum</i>
María Verónica Fumero, Alessandra Villani, Antonia Susca, Miriam Haidukowski, Maria Teresa Cimmarusti, Christopher Toomajian, John F. Leslie, S. Chulze, Antonio Moretti
Abstract
Fusarium subglutinans and F. temperatum are sister species and maize pathogens commonly isolated worldwide that can produce several mycotoxins and cause seedling disease, stalk rot, and ear rot. The ability of these species to produce beauvericin and fumonisin mycotoxins is not settled, as reports of toxin production are not concordant at the species level. Our results are consistent with previous reports that strains of F. subglutinans produce neither fumonisins nor beauvericin. The status of toxin production by F. temperatum needs further work. Our strains of F. temperatum did not produce fumonisins, while some strains produced beauvericin and others did not. These results enable more accurate risk assessments of potential mycotoxin contamination if strains of these species are present. The nature of the genetic inactivation of BEA1 is consistent with its relatively recent occurrence and the close phylogenetic relationship of the two sister species.