Comparative analysis of genetic chemotyping methods for Fusarium: Tri13 polymorphism does not discriminate between 3- and 15-acetylated deoxynivalenol chemotypes in Fusarium graminearum

Genetic chemotyping is an essential tool for characterizing Fusarium populations causing head blight on wheat and other cereals. Three PCR methods, based on tri cluster polymorphism, were optimized and compared on 94 single-spore isolates obtained from three continents belonging to F. gramineaurm, F. culmorum, F. poae, F. avenaceum and Microdochium nivale. While the methods based on the tri3, tri7 and tri12 polymorphism correctly identified all the tested strains, the method based on tri13 polymorphism was unable to discriminate between the 3- and 15-acetylated DON forms in F. graminearum. It is advised to avoid the use of tri13 polymorphism for genetic chemotyping of the two acetylated chemotypes.