Trichothecene and Moniliformin Production by Fusarium Species from Western Canadian Wheat†

Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium culmorum, and Fusarium avenaceum, isolated from Fusarium-damaged wheat harvested in western Canada, were cultured and evaluated for mycotoxin production. Extracts of the culture media were assayed for trichothecenes by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and for moniliformin by liquid chromatography. Deoxynivalenol (DON) was found in 28 of 42 isolates of F. graminearum and 42 of 42 isolates of F. culmorum at levels ranging from 0.5 to 25.0 μg/g. 15-AcetylDON was found in 28 of 42 isolates of F. graminearum at levels ranging from 1.0 to 7.1 μg/g. 3-AcetylDON was found in 41 of 42 isolates of F. culmorum at levels ranging from 0.8 to 13.0 μg/g. Several other trichothecenes were assayed but not detected in the culture medium. Moniliformin was present in 40 of 42 isolates of F. avenaceum at levels ranging from 1.3 to 138.1 μg/g, but was not present in any of the isolates of F. graminearum or F. culmorum.