Deoxynivalenol Detoxification in Transgenic Wheat Confers Resistance to Fusarium Head Blight and Crown Rot Diseases

• DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-06-18-0155-r
• Publication Date: 2018-11-13T19:24:31Z
• Authors: Giulia Mandalà; Silvio Tundo; Sara Francesconi; Federica Gevi; Lello Zolla; Carla Ceoloni; Renato D’Ovidio
• Keywords: Fusarium culmorum; Detoxification

Fusarium diseases, including head blight (FHB) and crown rot (FCR), reduce crop yield grain quality are major agricultural problems worldwide. These diseases also affect food safety through fungal production of hazardous mycotoxins. Among these, deoxynivalenol (DON) acts as a virulence factor during pathogenesis on wheat. The principal mechanism underlying plant tolerance to DON is glycosylation by specific uridine diphosphate–dependent glucosyltransferases (UGTs), which DON-3-β-d-glucoside (D3G) produced. In this work, we tested whether detoxification UGT could confer wheat broad-spectrum resistance against graminearum F. culmorum. widespread species different organs developmental stages in the course FHB FCR. To assess DON-detoxification potential, produced transgenic durum plants constitutively expressing barley HvUGT13248 bread same transgene flower tissues. When challenged with graminearum, symptoms were reduced both types plants, particularly early mid-infection infection progress. displayed much greater DON-to-D3G conversion ability considerable decrease total DON+D3G content flour extracts. exhibited dose–dependent efficacy detoxification. addition, showed, for first time, that limits FCR caused throughout experiment nearly 50% seedlings HvUGT13248. Our results demonstrate limiting effect via planta restrains development. Therefore, can be trait interest breeding targeting resistance.