Distribution of the 3-AcDON, 15-AcDON, and NIV Chemotypes of Fusarium culmorum in the North-West of Turkey

Fusarium culmorum isolates originated from diseased wheat plants showing crown rot and head blight symptoms in the 2009-2010 wheat growing season in the Canakkale, Balikesir, and Tekirdag Provinces in the North-West of Turkey. Fifty-six isolates were identified as E culmorum. The chemotypes of E culmorum known to produce the mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON) and its derivatives (3-AcDON and 15-AcDON) and nivalenol (NIV) were identified by PCR-based methods. Out of the 56 E culmorum isolates tested with Din PCR assays, one isolate yielded an amplicon similar to the size predicted for NIV production, while 55 yielded an amplicon corresponding to the size marker for DON production. Chemotyping assays by PCR showed that the DON chemotype of E culmorum was dominant among the population in all three provinces. Out of the 55 DON isolates, 16 and 39 isolates were 3-AcDON and 15-AcDON, respectively. Isolates collected from the same localities were not exclusively of a single chemotype. This is the first report demonstrating the presence and the geographic distribution of all three chemotypes on wheat spikes and crowns in Turkey.