Blowin’ in the Wind: Wind Dispersal Ability of Phytopathogenic Fusarium in a Wind Tunnel Experiment

Abstract

Dispersal processes play an essential role in cereal diseases caused by phytopathogenic Fusarium. However, most empirical studies of Fusarium spore dispersal have focused on vertical transport by rain splash, while wind dispersal has been mostly neglected. Our objective was to determine the ability of Fusarium conidiospores to disperse via wind under controlled conditions in a wind tunnel study. Ten Fusarium species with diverse spore varieties were studied by placing them in the wind stream at wind velocities of 5 and 8 m s−1 and collecting them after 6 m and a period of 1 h using a newly developed air sampling box. Although spore concentrations were high in the releasing Petri Dishes, the tested isolates were recaptured in only 18 of 78 runs. F. equiseti and F. cerealis were the most frequently recovered species. Changing abiotic conditions, wind speed, and spore shapes had no significant effect on Fusarium spore recapture rates. Another experiment showed that conidiospores were rarely released from the grown mycelium. Therefore, the importance of wind alone as a dispersal medium for Fusarium conidiospores may have been overestimated so far. Further studies should investigate the importance of carrier media or mobile linkers combined with the wind dispersal of spores.

Unselective Transport of Phytopathogenic Fusarium Fungi from Litter and Soil by Ground-Dwelling Arthropods Links Semi-Natural and Agricultural Habitats

“…Propagules of Fusarium fungi are commonly distributed by wind, rain splash, or by arthropods [33,46,47]. However, a previous study investigating the dispersal of spores of different Fusarium species by wind suggests a combination of the different dispersal mechanisms [48]. The different spore types of the Fusarium fungi did not affect the probability to adhere to the body surface of the arthropods in this study.…”

In vitro antifungal susceptibility profile of Iranian Fusarium isolates: Emphasising on the potent inhibitory effect of efinaconazole compared to other drugs

“…1,2 Fusarium genus has efficient mechanisms for conidia dispersal which has resulted in their global distribution. 3,4 Fusarium species are among the most important phytopathogenic fungi, responsible for significant losses in the agricultural fields worldwide. 5 Furthermore, the ability to produce a variety of toxic secondary metabolites such as trichothecenes, zearalenones, and fumonisins poses a significant threat to food safety and public health concern.…”

“…Fusarium species are filamentous ascomycete fungi that have a wide natural distribution 1,2 . Fusarium genus has efficient mechanisms for conidia dispersal which has resulted in their global distribution 3,4 . Fusarium species are among the most important phytopathogenic fungi, responsible for significant losses in the agricultural fields worldwide 5 .…”

Environmental Filtering Drives Fungal Phyllosphere Community in Regional Agricultural Landscapes

“…There is limited information in the literature on the wind dispersal of different Fusarium species. In a wind tunnel experiment, Fusarium spores of different species exhibited different wind dispersal tendencies and indicated probable wind dispersal with carrier media or mobile linkers [ 57 ]. Kivlin et al [ 20 ] showed that dispersal was not the limiting filter for regional fungal composition in soil.…”