Triazole sensitivity in a contemporary population of Fusarium graminearum from New York wheat and competitiveness of a tebuconazole-resistant isolate

A sample of 50 isolates, including 25 each of the 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol and the 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol trichothecene genotype, from a contemporary collection of Fusarium graminearum associated with Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat in New York varied in sensitivity to tebuconazole (effective concentration leading to a 50% reduction of mycelial growth [EC₅₀] of 0.28 to 8.09 mg/liter; μ = 1.12 mg/liter) and metconazole (0.05 to 0.86 mg/liter; μ = 0.33). Mean sensitivity did not differ between the trichothecene genotype groups. Isolate Gz448NY11 from Steuben County is the first tebuconazole-resistant field isolate of F. graminearum reported in the Americas and has the lowest sensitivity to tebuconazole (EC₅₀ = 8.09 mg/liter) documented for this species. Suppression of FHB and deoxynivalenol (DON) following application of a commercial rate of tebuconazole was significantly diminished in plants inoculated with the tebuconazole-resistant isolate compared with those inoculated with a tebuconazole-sensitive isolate well documented for its aggressiveness and toxigenicity on wheat. There was no diminution of FHB and DON suppression with either isolate following application of metconazole. Significantly more individuals of the tebuconazole- resistant isolate were recovered from spikes inoculated with an equal mixture of the two isolates and sprayed with tebuconazole. Future studies are needed on the epidemiology and monitoring of triazole- resistant isolates to understand the risk that fungicide resistance poses to disease management and food security.