EFS12- Book of abstracts - Contact
EFS12- Book of abstracts - Contact
EFS12- Book of abstracts - Contact
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SESSION 5: DISEASE CONTROL AND FORECASTING MODELS<br />
Maize kernel antioxidants and their potential<br />
involvement in Gibberella and Fusarium Ear Rot<br />
resistance<br />
V. Atanasova-Penichon 1 , A. Picot 1 , L. Pinson-Gadais 1 , N. Ponts 1 , S. Pons 1 ,<br />
G. Marchegay 1 , F. Turtaut 1 , M-N. Verdal-Bonnin 1 , C. Barreau 1,2 , J. Roucolle 3 ,<br />
P. Carolo 4 , F. Richard-Forget 1<br />
1 INRA UR1264 MycSA, 71 Avenue Edouard Bourlaux, CS20032, 33882 Villenave d'Ornon cedex-<br />
France; 2 CNRS, INRA UR1264 MycSA, 71 Avenue Edouard Bourlaux, CS20032, 33882 Villenave<br />
d'Ornon cedex-France; 3 Monsanto SAS Peyrehorade, Croix de Pardies, F-40300 Peyrehorade,<br />
France; 4 Euralis Semences, 117 avenue de Vendôme, F-41000 Blois, FRANCE<br />
E-mail: vessela.atanasova-penichon@bordeaux.inra.fr<br />
Gibberella and Fusarium Ear Rot (mainly caused by Fusarium graminearum and<br />
Fusarium verticillioides, respectively) are the two main diseases affecting<br />
European maize crops. The two former fungi pose a serious threat to food safety<br />
because <strong>of</strong> their ability to produce a wide range <strong>of</strong> mycotoxins, including type B<br />
trichothecenes (produced by F. graminearum) and fumonisins (synthesized by F.<br />
verticillioides). Since 2007, type B trichothecenes and fumonisins are strictly<br />
regulated for the cereals commercialized in Europe. The maize variety is one <strong>of</strong><br />
the key factors that can significantly influence fungal development and mycotoxin<br />
production on kernels. Plants can reduce mycotoxin accumulation by two<br />
mechanisms: metabolic transformation <strong>of</strong> the toxin and inhibition <strong>of</strong> toxin<br />
biosynthesis. This second mechanism involves the occurrence <strong>of</strong> biochemical<br />
compounds that are able to modulate the biosynthesis pathways. Our previous<br />
data showed that maize antioxidant secondary metabolites such as phenolic<br />
compounds, tocopherols and carotenoids are present in the earliest maize kernel<br />
stages, indicating that the mycotoxin-producing fungal species are likely to face<br />
them during ear colonization and initiation <strong>of</strong> mycotoxin biosynthesis.<br />
The potential involvement <strong>of</strong> maize antioxidants in plant resistance to Gibberella<br />
and Fusarium Ear Rot and mycotoxin accumulation was the focus <strong>of</strong> this work.<br />
The effect <strong>of</strong> phenolic compounds, tocopherol, and carotenoids on fungal growth<br />
and type B trichothecene and fumonisin accumulation was investigated in vitro.<br />
The highest inhibitory activities were obtained for -tocopherol and some <strong>of</strong> the<br />
phenolic compounds including ferulic acid and its dimeric forms, caffeic and<br />
chlorogenic acid. Using a set <strong>of</strong> genotypes with moderate to high susceptibility to<br />
Gibberella and Fusarium Ear Rot, we assayed the significantly lowest levels <strong>of</strong><br />
chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid and its dimeric forms in immature kernels <strong>of</strong> the very<br />
susceptible group. Overall, our data support the fact that these compounds may<br />
contribute to resistance to Gibberella and Fusarium Ear Rot and/or mycotoxin<br />
accumulation in various maize genotypes.<br />
Keywords: Fusarium, mycotoxins, antioxidants, maize<br />
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