Fusarium head blight management strategies: Resistant wheat cultivars and biocontrol in Argentina

Abstract

Species within the Fusarium graminearum complex are the main causal agents of Fusarium head blight (FHB) reducing wheat quality and safety worldwide. Different strategies for management and comntrol of FHB are being evaluated. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of Bacillus valezensis RC218 as a biocontrol agent under greenhouse conditions, co-inocualted with F. graminearum s.s. on two new relesed resistant wheat cultivars (MS INTA 415 and MS INTA 416), a susceptible (Klein Liebre) and a resistant cultivar (Sumai 3). Disease severity, deoxynivalenol (DON) accumulation and DNA quantitation were evaluated. A mixture inoculum of F. graminearum sensu stricto strains was prepared on Mung bean broth at 10 exp 3 conidia/ml. B. valezensis RC218 was produced in liquid basic media with NaCl (aw 0.97) for physiological improvement by intracellular accumulation of betaine at 10 exp 8 conidia/ml. The assay was corried out in a block design determined by 6 pots at each wheat cultivar.