Fumonisin B1 and zearalenone contamination of wheat in Croatia and influence of fungicide treatments

In Croatia, a trial was conducted to determine the presence of the Fusarium mycotoxins fumonisin B 1 and zearalenone in wheat kernels and to evaluate the efficacy of nine fungicides on Fusarium head blight severity as well as fumonisin B 1 and zearalenone accumulation in wheat grain. Fumonisin B 1 and zearalenone were detected in all grain samples in mean concentrations ranging from 182.0 to 446.6 µg kg -1 (fumonisin B 1 ) and from 2.59 to 5.33 µg kg -1 (zearalenone). No significant differences were found among fumonisin B 1 and zearalenone content in wheat grain for the different fungicide treatments. No correlation was revealed between Fusarium head blight severity and fumonisin B 1 or zearalenone content in wheat grain, nor between fungicide efficacy and fumonisin B 1 or zearalenone content in wheat grain. Under conditions of high disease pressure, efficacy of the fungicides was between 85.7% (tebuconazole + triadimefon) and 72.1% (carbendazim).