Mycotoxins Detection and Pathogenicity of Fusarium spp. Pathogen of Rice Sheath Rot Disease

Sheath rot disease is one of the critical problems limiting rice production. Fusarium spp. is one of the pathogens that cause sheath rot disease and produce various mycotoxins. The study of mycotoxins detection using specific primers and their association to pathogenicity is important in order to comprehend the types of mycotoxins that may occur in this disease. The objectives of this study are to investigate potential pathogen-related mycotoxins and their relation to pathogenicity. This study included a total of 44 Fusarium spp. isolates from 11 species with five primer pairs of mycotoxins biosynthesis encoding gene. The pathogenicity test was conducted on Ciherang rice variety aged eight-weeks after transplanting. Trichodiene synthase encoding gene only amplified on certain Fusarium bubalinum isolates, while fumonisin biosynthesis encoding gene only amplified on certain F. proliferatum isolates. Beauvericin biosynthesis encoding gene was amplified on F. fujikuroi, F. grosmichelii, F. tanahbumbuense, certain isolates of F. proliferatum, and certain isolates of F. pseudocircinatum. The F. hainanense, F. sulawesiense, F. andiyazi, F. sacchari, several isolates of F. proliferatum, several isolates of F. pseudocircinatum and a species within the F. solani species complex were not amplified on all primer tested. The pathogenicity test results showed that the isolates detected for mycotoxins had no relation with the severity of the disease, the necrosis area in the leaf sheath and the AUDPC. Nonetheless, because mycotoxins have an influence on human health, the findings of this study can be used to enhance pathogen control in order to increase food security in sustainable agriculture.