Overexpression of Nepenthesin HvNEP-1 in Barley Endosperm Reduces Fusarium Head Blight and Mycotoxin Accumulation

• DOI: 10.3390/agronomy10020203
• Publication Date: 2020-02-03T16:28:31Z
• Authors: Zelalem Eshetu Be...; Claus Krogh Madsen; Giuseppe Dionisio; Inger Bæksted Holme; Lise Nistrup Jørg...; Inge S. Fomsgaard; Henrik Brinch-Ped...
• Keywords: Gliadin; Fusarium culmorum

Fusarium head blight (FHB) causes substantial losses of yield and quality in grains, both the field post-harvest storage. To date, adequate natural genetic resistance is not available for control FHB. This study reports cloning overexpression a barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) antifungal gene, nepenthesin 1 (HvNEP-1), endosperm grains. Transgenic lines overexpressing HvNEP-1 substantially reduced FHB severity disease progression after inoculation with graminearum or culmorum. The transgenic also showed accumulation mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) grain, far below minimum value allowable food. Semi-field evaluation four revealed reduction as compared H. cultivar Golden promise (GP) plants. Our demonstrated utility barley, possibly other grains such wheat maize.