@article{SUN2026, 
author = {Hua SUN and XiaoLing AN and XiaoJuan ZHENG and Shuo ZHANG and Ning GUO and Jie SHI and ShuSen LIU and HaiJian ZHANG and HongXia MA},
title = {Exploration of Resistance Evaluation System to Fusarium Ear Rot Based on Fumonisin Content},
year = {2026},
journal = {Scientia Agricultura Sinica},
volume = {59},
number = {10},
pages = {2154-2164},
keywords = {maize ear rot, Fusarium verticillioides, fumonisin, resistance},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.3864/j.issn.0578-1752.2026.10.007},
doi = {10.3864/j.issn.0578-1752.2026.10.007},
abstract = {ObjectiveMaize ear rot severely impacts maize yield and quality, cultivating and planting resistant varieties is the most economical and effective prevention measure. Currently, the breeding of resistant varieties for maize ear rot mainly focuses on the severity of disease occurrence, while the accumulation of toxins within the kernels after disease occurrence is easily overlooked. This study aims to establish a resistance evaluation system to Fusarium ear rot based on fumonisin content, and to provide a basis for the breeding of new maize varieties with resistance to toxin production.MethodThe F. verticillioides with GFP-labeled was inoculated into the ears of Zhengdan 958 using the acupuncture inoculation method, then the infection and toxin production of the pathogen on the ears were investigated. The F. verticillioides was inoculated into 36 main cultivated maize varieties, and their resistance was evaluated according to the current standard, the fumonisin content in kernels of each variety was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the correlation between the fumonisin content and the average disease grade was analyzed, and a resistance evaluation system for maize varieties against Fusarium ear rot was constructed based on the fumonisin content ratio. Using this evaluation system and the current industry standard simultaneously, the resistance of 142 inbred lines to Fusarium ear rot was evaluated.ResultAfter the maize ears were infected by F. verticillioides, in addition to the visibly moldy kernels, there were also kernels that were symptomless but still infected. These asymptomatic kernels not only affect the judgment of the severity of ear rot occurrence, but also increase the content of fumonisin in kernels. The fumonisin content in kernels was moderately correlated with the average disease grade (r=0.39), indicating that it is impossible to select resistant varieties against fumonisin production based solely on the average disease grade. Therefore, the resistance evaluation system for maize varieties to Fusarium ear rot was established based on the fumonisin content ratio in kernels: the fumonisin content ratio<0.45, highly resistant (HR); 0.45≤the fumonisin content ratio<0.65, resistant (R); 0.65≤the fumonisin content ratio<0.85, moderately resistant (MR); 0.85≤the fumonisin content ratio<1.25, susceptible (S); the fumonisin content ratio≥1.25, highly susceptible (HS). Among the 142 inbred lines, the concordance rate between the two evaluation methods was only 14.79%, but 37.32% of the inbred lines showed moderate or higher resistance in both evaluation methods.ConclusionBased on the fumonisin content ratio in kernels, a new system for evaluating the resistance of maize varieties to Fusarium ear rot was established. The concordance rate between this system and the current standard was only 14.79%. The combination of these two evaluation methods provides a new method for screening and cultivating “dual resistance” maize germplasm/varieties that possess both disease resistance and fumonisin production resistance.}
}