The role of husk traits in maize susceptibility to Fusarium verticillioides: A multi ‐location study in northern Italy

AbstractFusarium disease and the consequent mycotoxin accumulation pose significant problem in maize cultivation, with fumonisins produced byFusarium verticillioides posing a global health concern. To address this issue, a range of preventive measures (e.g. crop management techniques) can be implemented to minimize fungal infections. A promising strategy to counteract this issue involves the selection of genotypes with greater resistance to fungal pathogens. This approach has the potential to reduce the reliance on chemical inputs for controlling fungus growth or indirect infection vectors. Leveraging genetic approaches can help improve the economic sustainability of agriculture in the face of climate change challenges. In the present work, we assessed the importance of two husk leaf traits (coverage and number), their association withF. verticillioides infection, fumonisin content, and their potential influence on crop yield. The study was conducted in three locations in the North of Italy and 38 hybrids with varying resistance toF. Verticillioides were compared. The results obtained showed that husk coverage has a pivotal role not only in protecting maize ears fromFusarium infection but have also a significant impact on crop yield: a significant positive correlation was found between husk coverage and yield in all three locations (r = 0.33185;r = 0.51327 andr = 0.51207, respectively). Furthermore, in the field of Vicenza, a significant negative correlation was f...
Source: Food and Energy Security - Category: Food Science Authors: Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research