Characterization of <i>Fusarium acuminatum</i>: A Potential Enniatins Producer in Tunisian Wheat
2022
Yasmine Chakroun | Souheib Oueslati | Laetitia Pinson-Gadais | Manef Abderrabba | Jean-Michel Savoie
<i>Fusarium</i> Head Blight (FHB), caused by multiple species of <i>Fusarium</i> in small grain cereals, is a significant and long-standing problem anywhere in the world. Knowing regional <i>Fusarium</i> spp. present on non-symptomatic grains and their potential for mycotoxin production is of concern for identifying novel actions for FHB and mycotoxin management, such as treatments with essential oils. Analyzing the mycotoxin content of grains from non-symptomatic ears of different wheat varieties cultivated in Tunisia, we isolated <i>Fusaria</i> specimens identified as <i>F. culmorum</i> and <i>F. acuminatum</i> using analysis of the partial DNA sequence of the β-tubulin gene and ITS region. Two isolates of the latter species, uncommon in cereal grains in this region until now, were shown to be effective producers of enniatins in vitro, with 1390 and 3089 µg g<sup>−1</sup> mycelial biomass (dry) in 11-day-old cultures. The susceptibility of an isolate of <i>F. acuminatum</i> to the fungistatic and antimycotoxin effects of eight essential oils was measured. Essential oils from <i>Ammoides pusilla</i> and <i>Thymus capitatus</i> used at 0.1 µL mL<sup>−1</sup> in an agar culture medium, affected the mycelial growth by 55% and 79%, respectively and reduced the accumulation of enniatins per unit of mycelial colony by 26% and 52%, respectively. Finally, <i>F. acuminatum</i> was shown to be a contaminant of wheat grains in Tunisia and it may contribute to the contamination in enniatins. Two essential oils of Tunisian plants could be used for developing a biofungicide limiting both its mycelial growth and its accumulation of mycotoxins in grains.
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