Evaluation of Fusarium culmorum Isolates under Field Conditions in Wheat: Effects on Spike Characteristics and Flag Leaf Water Status
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https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15645774Keywords:
Sub-populations of fungi, virulence, spike harvest indexAbstract
Fusarium head blight (FHB) is an important disease that threatens yield and quality in wheat. In this study, the effect of eight sub-isolates of Fusarium culmorum, selected after fungicide applications, and the untreated main isolate S-14 on the susceptible bread wheat cultivar Flamura-85 were compared under field conditions. After inoculation, disease severity, spike yield components [spike weight (g), spikelet number, grain number, grain weight (g), spike harvest index (SHI, %)], and flag leaf physiological parameters [relative water content (%), water loss rate (%)] were evaluated. The results indicated that TFM-3, TFM-24, TFM-33 and several sub-isolates induced higher disease severity and physiological stress compared to S-14. In contrast, the TFM-1 isolate stood out with its low-virulence profile. The obtained data demonstrate that field-evolved virulence differences among pathogen variants of the same genetic origin and fungicide pressure can significantly shape the agricultural and physiological impacts of the pathogen. This study highlights the importance of isolate-based virulence monitoring in fungicide resistance management and sustainable wheat production.
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