Battle in the dark - Interactions of the fungal pathogen Fusarium culmorum with beneficial microorganisms at the soil-root interface of wheat

• Applicant: Dr. Mark Winter
• Subject Area: Plant Breeding and Plant Pathology
• Term: from 2015 to 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 279559973

• Final Report Year: 2017

Final Report Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) for root and stem base infection during Fusarium foot and root rot (FCR) of wheat caused by the fungal pathogen Fusarium culmorum. The main focus was on the interaction between F. culmorum, DON and beneficial rhizobacteria, i.e. Streptomyces spp. The two main hypotheses in the original proposal were i) the mycotoxin DON has a dual role in infection of wheat roots by F. culmorum, (a) as virulence factor and (b) as suppressor of beneficial, root-protecting rhizobacteria and ii) rhizobacteria such as Streptomyces play a role in protecting wheat roots from infection with F. culmorum, by yet unknown mechanisms. In the course of the conducted study the impact of other trichothecenes such as nivalenol (NIV) for wheat root and stem base infection in F. culmorum and also F. graminearum were included. Further the impact of fluorescent Pseudomonas strains as biocontrol agents on F. graminearum and F. culmorum was examined. Additionally, experiments addressing the mycotoxin translocation after Fusarium spp. stem base infection in barley were conducted. Further, the carbon nutrient use of Streptomyces and Fusarium isolates was analysed.

Publications

• (2016): Deoxynivalenol (DON) and nivalenol (NIV) play a role as virulence factors for wheat root and stem base infection by Fusarium culmorum and F. graminearum. In: Proceedings 2009 National Fusarium Head Blight Forum, St. Louis, USA, December 4-6, 2016
  Winter, M., Samuels, P. L., Dong, Y. and Dill-Macky, R.
  
• (2017): Biocontrol of Fusarium crown and root rot in wheat by inhibitory Streptomyces isolates – it’s complicated. In: Abstract book Micrope 2017: International Symposium on Microbe-assisted crop production – opportunities, challenges & needs. Vienna, Austria, December 4-7, 2017
  Winter, M., Samuels, P. Otto-Hanson, L., Dill-Macky R. and Kinkel L.