Genotypic, Biological and Chemical Control of <i>Fusarium</i> Isolated From Different Crops With Zearalenone Toxin Detection

Cereals and other crops are often heavily laden with Fusarium species and are mostly contaminated with mycotoxins that have a serious effect on public health. Twenty-six strains of Fusarium were collected from different crops in the Qena Governorate. According to phylogenetic analysis of Translation Elongation Factor 1 alpha sequences, the collected strains were identified as F. andiyazi, F. chlamydosporum, F. equiseti, F. incarnatum, F. proliferatum, F. thapsinum and F. verticillioides. Using VICAM fluorometers, 100% of the tested strains were zearalenone (ZEN) producers on rice medium after 4 weeks of incubation at 25°C. The amounts of ZEN ranged from 0.025 to 0.69 ppm, with highest amounts were detected in F. equiseti AEMCF19, followed by F. chlamydosporum AEMCF17 come from barely. Also, the control of Fusarium growth was studied by biological and chemical methods. Fusarium growth was greatly depressed by Macrophomina phaseolina and the maximum suppression (73.7%) was detected against F. verticillioides AEMCF1 which was isolated from maize. The efficacy of zinc sulfate against the growth and conidia production of Fusarium was concentration-dependent. The growth of 34.6% of strains was completely stopped at 10 mM of ZnSO₄. The conidia production in 23% of strains was promoted by a low dose (1 or 5 mM) of ZnSO₄ and potentially repressed or stopped at the higher dose.