Effect of cultural practices and hybrid selection in reducing fumonisin accumulation in maize.

In the southern European regions, both continuous and rotation grain/silage maize are common. Fusarium verticillioides is the fungus most commonly associated with maize ears and elevated levels fumonisins are frequently found. Genetic resistance would be the best preventive action against fumonisins, although no commercial maize hybrids seem to be completely resistant at present. Significant progress regarding Fusarium ear rot resistance can be obtained in the hybrids introducing broad sources of resistance to ear rot into susceptible elite inbred lines. The resistant genotypes hold defense-related genes that are transcribed at high levels before infection and provide basic defense to the fungus. But, the cropping system plays a significant role on fumonisin levels. The effect of preceding crop, tillage, maturity class of hybrids, nitrogen fertilization, sowing and harvest data, and grain moisture on the level of fumonisin contamination will be discussed.