Detection of nivalenol and deoxynivalenol chemotypes produced by Fusarium graminearum species complex isolated from barley in Iran using specific PCR assays

In order to identify trichothecenes chemotypes produced by Fusarium graminearum species complex (FGSC) isolated from barley, 68 barley samples were collected from markets in Kermanshah and Hamedan provinces, Iran. Thirty-one Fusarium isolates were obtained from grains and morphologically classified into three species FGSC (14), F. equiseti (9), and F. proliferatum (8). The identification of the members of FGSC was confirmed molecularly using Fg16F/Fg16R primers. Fusarium asiaticum isolates (4) were distinguished from other FGSC using Fg6CTPSf177/Fg16R primers. Polymerase chain reaction-based (PCRbased) detection of mycotoxin-synthesis-pathway gene was also used to determine the potential of the analysed strains to produce deoxynivalenol (DON), 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (15-AcDON), 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-AcDON), and nivalenol (NIV). Of 14 tested isolates, 10 and 4 isolates belonged to DON and NIV chemotype, respectively. Also, the results of DON chemotype survey using specific primers MinusTri7F/R and Tri315F/R showed 1 and 9 isolates produced 3-AcDON and 15-AcDON, respectively. These results show that DON was the most common chemotype in western Iran. To our knowledge, this is the first report on 15-AcDON, 3-AcDON, and NIV isolated from barley in Iran.