Fumonisin B1 and zearalenone contamination of wheat in Croatia and influence of fungicide treatments

In Croatia, a trial was conducted to determine the presence of the Fusarium mycotoxins fumonisin B, and zearalenone in wheat kernels and to evaluate the efficacy of nine fungicides on Fusarium head blight severity as well as fumonisin B-1 and zearalenone accumulation in wheat grain. Fumonisin B-1 and zearalenone were detected in all grain samples in mean concentrations ranging from 182.0 to 446.6 mu g kg(-1) (fumonisin B-1) and from 2.59 to 5.33 mu g kg(-1) (zearalenone). No significant differences were found among fumonisin B-1 and zearalenone content in wheat grain for the different fungicide treatments. No correlation was revealed between Fusarium head blight severity and fumonisin B-1 or zearalenone content in wheat grain, nor between fungicide efficacy and fumonisin B-1 or zearalenone content in wheat grain. Under conditions of high disease pressure, efficacy of the fungicides was between 85.7% (tebuconazole + triadimefon) and 72.1% (carbendazim).