(go
to KOMUGI Home) (go
to WIS List) (go
to NO.73 Contents)
Wheat Information
Service
Number 73: 11-14 (1991)
Effect
of Fusarium graminearum Schw. on reductions in yield of
wheat
S. Tomasovic and B. Koric
Institute for Breeding and Production of Field Crops, Faculty of
Agricultural Sciences, University of Zagreb, Marulicev trg 5/1,
41.000 Zagreb, Yugoslavia
Fusarium head blight was described as wheat disease first in England
in 1884. That year Smith found out that Fusarium
culmorum was the cause of this disease. Soon after that, the
disease was reportedly spread in Europe, North and South America,
Australia and some other parts of the world (Tomasovic, 1981;
MacInnes and Fogelman 1923). Until midsixties, the disease was mainly
referred in literature as the one of minor importance (Peterson 1965;
Leley 1976) although was in 1915 the cause of yield reductions up to
80% in variety Marquis (MacInnes and Fogelman, 1923). In China, Japan
and Brazil, this disease has always been a problem in wheat growing.
Today, we might say that fusarium head blight is a problem in
countries where narrow crop rotation is used (maize-wheat cropping
system); central and eastern parts of the USA, Mexico, Central
America, Europe, northern and eastern Africa, southern Asia and Far
East (Anderson, 1978).
Today's intensive wheat growing is characterized by high yield
potential of the grown varieties. For exploitation of this yield
potential, certain preconditions related to increased number of
spikes per m2 (higher densities) and higher fertilizer
rates, especially nitrogen components, have to be met. This leads to
a formation of microclimate favourable for development of many
diseases, among which one of the most dangerous is fusarium head
blight, caused by Fusarium culmorum Schw.
In addition to Fusarium graminearum species, some other
Fusarium species also appear, but the mentioned species is
most frequent. Apart from causing head blight, this fungus also
causes seedling blight, crown rot of basal stem area (Cizimic, 1984;
Tomasovic, 1987). Fusarium head blight is most frequently manifested
as spike bleaching (white spikes) or of some of its parts in humid or
moderately humid wheat growing regions. In and and less humid
regions, attack on spikes does not occur or is negligible and the
disease manifests as infection of root and basal stem area (Tomasovic
1987). During past few years, excessive moisture in the period from
anthesis to the end of vegetation contributed to the development of
moderate or even severe disease intensity, and in certain varieties
more than 30% of infected spikes was found (Cvjetkovic, Balaz,
Matijevic, 1987).
According to past research, both in the country and abroad, under
present conditions of production reduction in yield because of the
disease attack can go up to 50% (Tomasovic, 1987; Cizmic, 1986;
Koric, 1989).
Apart from having epiphytotic attack of Fusarium graminearum
under artificial infection, with this work we also wanted to
study the effect of the disease on yield in some lines developed by
this Institute.
-->Next
(go
to KOMUGI Home) (go
to WIS List) (go
to NO.73 Contents)