FACTORS INVOLVED IN MAIZE RESISTANCE TO FUSARIUM VERTICILLIOIDES

SAMPIETRO, D. A.; FAUGUEL, C. M.; PRESELLO, D. A.; VATTUONE, M. A.; CATALÁN, C. A. N.

Tucumán - Argentina

Congreso; XXIV Annual Scientific Meeting of Tucuman Biology Society; 2008

Tucuman Biology Society (publicado en Bio Cell 32 (2), A65, 2008)

Fusarium verticillioides Sacc Niremberg produces maize ear rot. The fungus contaminates the grains with fumonisins which are toxic to humans and animals. The aim of this work was: 1) to determine differences in fumonisin accumulation among argentinian maize genotypes and 2) To identify factors involved in resistance to fumonisin accumulation. Drilled and entire grains obtained by open polinization of hybrids Cargill 350, Syngenta Chalten and Syngenta Condor were assayed. Grains of each hybrid were inoculated with a spore suspension of 5 10-5 microconidia/ml. Then, they were incubated at 28 ºC and 90% Relative humidity for 7 days. Fumonisin content was determined by immunochemical assays. Fumonisin accumulation was similar in both drilled and entire grains of Cargill 350. Chalten and Condor hybrids showed higher fumonisin accumulation in drilled than in entire grains. Our results suggest that differences in susceptibility of maize genotypes to F. verticillioides are due to pericarp characteristics.