Progress in comparing fusarium pseudograminearum infection levels and crown rot symptoms in stem internodes of cereals

Abstract

Wheat (Triticum aestivum), durum (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum), barley (Hordeum vulgare), and oats (Avena sativa) are susceptible to infection by the crown rot pathogen Fusarium pseudograminearum (1). This study describes the differences in infection levels of F. pseudograminearum in bread and durum wheat, barley, and oat internodes using a species specific quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay and relates the average amount of fungal DNA found in the internodes to the average visual ratings of the internodes based upon a severity scale (2).