Effects of climate change on mycopopulations on cereal grain in Serbia

Abstract

In recent years, global climate variability and changes have affected agro climatic conditions, which have contributed to the spread of new fungal species in cereal grains in Serbia. These changes can affect the synthesis of higher concentrations of mycotoxins in cereal grains during the growing season and can cause economic losses in production, as well as increased risk to human and animal health. The following new species of the genera Fusarium and Aspergillus have been identified in cereal grains in Serbia: Fusarium vorosii in wheat, Fusarium boothii in maize, Fusarium verticillioides in triticale and wheat, as well as the species Aspergillus parasiticus in maize, wheat and barley. These species have been identified on the basis of morphological, pathogenic, toxicological and molecular methods. DNA isolation was performed using DNeasy Plant Mini Kit-a. Species F. vorosii and F. boothii were detected using three genomic regions (TEF−1α, histone H3 and β−tubulin) that were sequenced and obtained sequences were deposited in NCBI. A. parasiticus was detected by the RFLP method using a primer pair IGS-F/IGS-R specific for the IGS region of genes aflJ and aflR involved in the aflatoxin biosynthesis. A. parasiticus CBS 100926 was used as a reference isolate. In order to prove the presence of the species F. verticillioides in triticale, a pair of primers FV-F2/FV-R was used. This pair of primers amplifies the sequence of the gaoB gene, and proved to be specific for the stated species. Moreover, for the same purpose, a pair of primers VER1-VER2 designed based on the calmodulin partial gene was used. The stated reasons, as well as the fact that new species of the Fg complex had been identified in the surrounding of Serbia, have indicated the need for continuous monitoring of these toxigenic species in the production of cereals.