Prevalence of zearalenone producing Fusarium species associated with finger millet

Agricultural produce are highly contaminated with diverse mycotoxigenic fungi. These mycotoxins pose a severe threat to the health of humans and animals. The present study was aimed to assesses the pathogenic and toxigenic Fusarium species and zearalenone (ZEA) contamination in Indian finger millet samples. In the present study, F. aethiopicum, F. verticillioides, F. culmorum, F. oxysporum, F. proliferatum, F. subglutinans, F. sacchari and F. mexicanum were associated with finger millet samples and, dentified based on internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), translational elongation factor (TEF), and species-specific primers. An in vitro pathogenicity study showed 50–70% inhibition of both root and shoot growth by F. subglutinans and F. aethiopicum. However , F. sacchari and F. mexicanum majorly affect shoot growth, whereas F. culmorum and F. oxysporum affect root growth in the finger millet. Furthermore, the toxigenic potential of Fusarium spp. were evaluated for the presence of the PKS13 gene involved in zearalenone (ZEA) biosynthesis by PCR and further ZEA production was confirmed by HPLC. It was found that 30% of finger millet samples were contaminated with ZEA, ranging from 8.0 to 25.3 µg/kg. The current finding first introduced F. sacchari and F. mexicanum as producers of ZEA from finger millet samples, India. The presence of a diverse population of toxigenic and pathogenic Fusarium species and ZEA contamination in finger millet showed severe risk exposure indicators to improve food safety and prevent economic losses, and further monitoring is necessary.