Effect of preceding crop on Fusarium species andmycotoxin contamination of wheat grains.

BACKGROUND: The Fusarium graminearum species complex infects several cereals and causes the reduction of grain yield and quality. Many factors influence the extent of Fusariuminfection andmycotoxin levels. Such factors include crop rotation. In the present study, we explored the effect of rice ormaize as former crops onmycotoxin accumulation in wheat grains. RESULTS: More than 97% of samples were contaminated with deoxynivalenol (DON). DON concentrations in wheat grains from rice and maize rotation fields were 884.37 and 235.78 μgkg^-1. Zearalenone (ZEN) was detected in 45% of samples which were mainly collected from maize-wheat rotation systems. Fusarium strains were isolated and more F. graminearum sensu stricto (s. str.) isolateswere cultured fromwheat samples obtained frommaize rotationfields.DONlevels producedby Fusariumisolates from rice rotation fields were higher than those of samples from maize rotation fields. CONCLUSIONS: Rice-wheat rotation favours DON accumulation, while more ZEN contamination may occur in maize-wheat rotation models. Appropriate crop rotationmay help to reduce toxin levels in wheat grains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]