• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.182-189
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• 2016

Together with the Fusarium graminearum species complex, F. culmorum is a major member of the causal agents of Fusarium head blight on cereals such as wheat, barley and corn. It causes significant yield and quality losses and results in the contamination of grain with mycotoxins that are harmful to humans and animals. In Korea, F. culmorum is listed as a quarantine fungal species since it has yet to be found in the country. In this paper, we report that two isolates (J1 and J2) of F. culmorum were collected from the air at a rice paddy field in Korea. Species identification was confirmed by phylogenetic analysis using multilocus sequence data derived from five genes encoding translation elongation factor, histone H3, phosphate permease, a reductase, and an ammonia ligase and by morphological comparison with reference strains. Both diagnostic PCR and chemical analysis confirmed that these F. culmorum isolates had the capacity to produce nivalenol, the trichothecene mycotoxin, in rice substrate. In addition, both isolates were pathogenic on wheat heads and corn stalks. This is the first report on the occurrence of F. culmorum in Korea.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.33-42
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• 2014

Nivalenol (NIV) and deoxynivalenol (DON) are predominant Fusarium-producing mycotoxins found in grains, which are mainly produced by Fusarium asiaticum and F. graminearum. NIV is found in most of cereals grown in Korea, but the genetic basis for NIV production by F. asiaticum has not been extensively explored. In this study, 12 genes belonging to the trichothecene biosynthetic gene cluster were compared at the transcriptional level between two NIV-producing F. asiaticum and four DON-producing F. graminearum strains. Chemical analysis revealed that time-course toxin production patterns over 14 days did not differ between NIV and DON strains, excluding F. asiaticum R308, which was a low NIV producer. Both quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Northern analysis revealed that the majority of TRI gene transcripts peaked at day 2 in both NIV and DON producers, which is 2 days earlier than trichothecene accumulation in liquid medium. Comparison of the gene expression profiles identified an NIV-specific pattern in two transcription factor-encoding TRI genes (TRI6 and TRI10) and TRI101, which showed two gene expression peaks during both the early and late incubation periods. In addition, the amount of trichothecenes produced by both DON and NIV producers were correlated with the expression levels of TRI genes, regardless of the trichothecene chemotypes. Therefore, the reduced production of NIV by R308 compared to NIV or DON by the other strains may be attributable to the significantly lower expression levels of the TRI genes, which showed early expression patterns.

• Korean Journal Plant Pathology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.418-424
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• 1998

The production of 8-ketotrichothecenes, deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol (NIV), and their monoacetyl derivatives was studied in rice and corn cultures using 8 isolates of Fusarium graminearum which were obtained from corn and barley samples. Higher concentrations of trichothecenes were produced on rice than corn, and production of the toxins on rice was enhanced by growing the fungi at $25^{\circ}C$. The isolates were used for evaluation of toxin production and pathogenicity after artificial inoculation to 5 corn and 3 barley cultivars. The kinds and the relative amounts of trichothecenes produced in cultures were consistent with those in infected kernels of corn and barley with some exceptions. As for DON chemotypes, the ratios of 15-acetyl-DON to 3-acetyl-DON were varied among the pathogen-cultivar interactions. The corn and barley cultivars showed the significant differences of resistance to the Fusarium isolates in disease severity and seedling blight, and resistance ranking to the different isolates was varied. However, significant correlations were observed between the total concentrations of trichothecenes in infected kernels of corn and barley and pathogenicities of the Fusarium isolates to the hosts.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1903-1912
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• 2018

Objective: To evaluate the effect of lactic acid bacteria and storage temperature on the microbial, chemical and mycotoxin composition of corn silage. Methods: Corn was harvested at 32.8% dry matter, and chopped to 1 to 2 cm. The chopped material was subjected to three treatments: i) control (distilled water); ii) $1{\times}10^6$ colony forming units (cfu)/g of Lactobacillus plantarum; iii) $1{\times}10^6cfu/g$ of Pediococcus pentosaceus. Treatments in triplicate were ensiled for 55 d at $20^{\circ}C$, $28^{\circ}C$, and $37^{\circ}C$ in 1-L polythene jars following packing to a density of approximately $800kg/m^3$ of fresh matter, respectively. At silo opening, microbial populations, fermentation characteristics, nutritive value and mycotoxins of corn silage were determined. Results: L. plantarum significantly increased yeast number, water soluble carbohydrates, nitrate and deoxynivalenol content, and significantly decreased the ammonia N value in corn silage compared with the control (p<0.05). P. pentosaceus significantly increased lactic acid bacteria and yeast number and content of deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, T-2 toxin and zearalenone, while decreasing mold population and content of nitrate and 3-acetyl-deoxynivalneol in corn silage when stored at $20^{\circ}C$ compared to the control (p<0.05). Storage temperature had a significant effect on deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, ochratoxin A, and zearalenone level in corn silage (p<0.05). Conclusion: Lactobacillus plantarum and Pediococcus pentosaceus did not decrease the contents of mycotoxins or nitrate in corn silage stored at three temperatures.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to analyze the hazard of fungi in Garaetteok (Korean rice cake) by isolating and identifying of fungi contaminated with Garaetteok and investigating the possibility of mycotoxin production. Garaetteok used in this study were the ones that were returned back to the manufacturers in Jeollanam-do due to the presence of foreign matters presumed to be fungi. The fungi foreign matter was collected and inoculated on Potato dextrose agar, Malt extract agar, and Czapek yeast extract agar, and then cultured at 25℃ for 7 days. The micro-structure was observed under an optical microscope for the colonies in which pure isolation was confirmed. The gene sequencing of the product of amplified PCR was analyzed using the ITS primer. Colony-1 and 2 maintained the same properties in each tray, confirming that they were purely isolated. Budding cells were observed from the Colony-1, thus, it was determined to be yeast. Colony-2 was determined to be a fungus that belongs to Fusarium spp. as fusiform conidia were observed. As a result of gene sequencing, a total of 76 cases of fungi of Fusarium spp. were found, among which Fusarium solani was the most observed cases (53 cases). From the morphological and genetic identification, Colony-2 was identified as Fusarium spp., specifically, Fusarium solani. The fungi found in Fusarium spp. produce mycotoxins such as nivalenol, zearalenone, and fumonisin, which may cause vomiting, diarrhea, and cancer. Conclusively, the results confirm the possibility of mycotoxin production by Fusarium spp. isolated from Garaetteok. Consequently, when an unknown fungus was found, it is necessary to isolate and identify the fungus, determine whether it is a mycotoxin producing species, and strengthen relative administrative measures, accordingly.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.637-645
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• 2022

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the most serious diseases in barley and wheat, as it is usually accompanied by the production of harmful mycotoxins in the grains. To identify FHB-resistant breeding resources, we evaluated 60 elite germplasm accessions of barley (24) and wheat (36) for FHB and mycotoxin accumulation. Assessments were performed in a greenhouse and five heads per accession were inoculated with both Fusarium asiaticum (Fa73, nivalenol producer) and F. graminearum (Fg39, deoxynivalenol producer) strains. While the accessions varied in disease severity and mycotoxin production, four wheat and one barley showed <20% FHB severity repeatedly by both strains. Mycotoxin levels in these accessions ranged up to 3.9 mg/kg. FHB severity was generally higher in barley than in wheat, and Fa73 was more aggressive in both crops than Fg39. Fg39 itself, however, was more aggressive toward wheat and produced more mycotoxin in wheat than in barley. FHB severity by Fa73 and Fg39 were moderately correlated in both crops (r = 0.57/0.60 in barley and 0.42/0.58 in wheat). FHB severity and toxin production were also correlated in both crops, with a stronger correlation for Fa73 (r = 0.42/0.82 in barley, 0.70 in wheat) than for Fg39.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.312-317
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• 1993

A total of 110 Fusarium graminearum isolates were obtained from corn and barley samples which were collected from Kangwon province and the southern part of Korea, respectively. The isolates were tested for trichothecene and zearalenone (ZEA) production in rice culture. The incidences of trichothecene production by 51 isolates of F. graminearum from corn were 64.7% for deoxynivalenol (DON), 7.8% for 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-ADON),33.3% for 15-acetylde-oxynivalenol (15-ADON), 21.6% for invalenol (NIV), and 13.7% for 4-acetylnivalenol (4-ANIV). DON producers frequently co-produced 15-ADON rather than 3-ADON. On the other hand, the incidences of trichothecene production by 59 isolates of F. graminearum from barley were 71.2% for NIV, 61.0% for 4-ANIV, and only one isolate produced DON and 3-ADON. The incidences and mean levels of ZEA producers were 32.0% and 71.$\mu$g/g for the isolates from corn, and 29.0% and 74 .$\mu$g/g for the isolates from barley. There was a great regional difference in trichothecene production of F. graminearum isolates between Kangwon province and the southern part of Korea.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 2016.05a
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• pp.33-33
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• 2016

Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungi. They can be present in where agricultural-based commodities are contaminated with toxigenic fungi. These mycotoxins cause various toxicoses in human and livestock when consumed. Small grains including corn, barley, rice or wheat are frequently contaminated with mycotoxins due to infection mainly by toxigenic Fusarium species and/or under environment favorable to fungal growth. One of the most well-known Fusarium toxin groups in cereals is trichothecenes consisting of many toxic compounds. Deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol (NIV), T-2 toxin, and various derivatives belong to this group. Zearalenone and fumonisin (FB) are also frequently produced by many species of the same genus. In order to monitor Korean cereals for contamination with Fusarium and other mycotoxigenic fungal species as well, barley, corn, maize, rice grains, and soybean were collected from fields at harvest or during storage for several years. The fungal colonies outgrown from the grain samples were identified based on morphological and molecular characteristics. Trichothecene chemotypes of Fusarium species or presence of FB biosynthetic gene were determined using respective diagnostic PCR to predict possible toxin production. Heavy grain contamination with fungi was detected in barley, rice and wheat. Predominant fungal genus of barley and wheat was Alternaria (up to 90%) while that of rice was Fusarium (~40%). Epicoccum also appeared frequently in barley, rice and wheat. While frequency of Fusarium species in barley and wheat was less than 20%, the genus mainly consisted of Fusarium graminearum species complex (FGSC) which known to be head blight pathogen and mycotoxin producer. Fusarium composition of rice was more diverse as FGSC, Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti species complex (FIESC), and Fusarium fujikuroi species complex (FFSC) appeared all at considerable frequencies. Prevalent fungal species of corn was FFSC (~50%), followed by FGSC (<30%). Most of FFSC isolates of corn tested appeared to be FB producer. In corn, Fusarium graminearum and DON chemotype dominate within FGSC, which was different from other cereals. Soybeans were contaminated with fungi less than other crops and Cercospora, Cladosporium, Alternaria, Fusarium etc. were detected at low frequencies (up to 14%). Other toxigenic species such as Aspergillus and Penicillium were irregularly detected at very low frequencies. Multi-year survey of small grains revealed dominant fungal species of Korea (barley, rice and wheat) is Fusarium asiaticum having NIV chemotype.