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“Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a fungal disease of increasing significance for small-grain crops worldwide (McMullen, Jones, & Gallemberg, 1997). It is mainly caused by members of the Fusarium graminearum species complex (Fg complex) (teleomorph: Gibberella zeae) ( Goswami & Kistler, 2004). FHB inoculum survives in crop debris and infects wheat crops from flowering to grain filling stages when weather conditions are favourable ( McMullen

et al., 1997). Even though yield losses are associated with reduced kernel plumpness and weight, the fungus produces mycotoxins that may accumulate to unacceptable levels, making harvested grain and their by-products unsuitable for human and animal consumption find more ( Creppy, 2002). Current integrated management practices include crop rotations, resistant wheat varieties and fungicide applications that help to prevent and/or reduce fungal infection and subsequent mycotoxin production ( Edwards, 2004). Increasing awareness of Fusarium mycotoxins, especially those from the trichothecene group, such as deoxynivalenol (DON), occurred in recent years

with the resurgence and consideration of FHB as a major threat to food security ( Goswami and Kistler, 2004 and van Egmond see more et al., 2007). The World Health Organization (WHO) regards DON as teratogen, neurotoxin, and immunosuppressant and trichothecenes in general have been associated with chronic and fatal intoxication of humans and animals through consumption of contaminated food and feed ( Rotter, Prelusky, & Pestka, 1996). Hence, urgent Dichloromethane dehalogenase measures such as continuous monitoring and regulation of maximum mycotoxin levels in food products and commodities have been set in several countries ( van Egmond et al., 2007). Surveys on Fusarium mycotoxins in small-grain

cereals and their by-products are frequently conducted in the major production regions of the world such as North America and Europe ( Creppy, 2002 and van Egmond et al., 2007). Conversely, information in South America is relatively scarce and previous evidence had placed DON as the main Fusarium toxin detected in wheat and by-products in Argentina ( Dalcero et al., 1997 and Lori et al., 2003) and Uruguay ( Piñeiro, Dawson, & Costarrica, 1996). In Brazil, current information also places DON as the main target toxin in analyses of commercial wheat grain, flour and by-products ( Calori-Domingues et al., 2007, Furlong et al., 1995 and Malmann et al., 2003). Although risk factors related to environment and host genotype are known for playing a role in determining mycotoxin accumulation in grains, genetic profile of the regional populations, especially the type of toxin produced by the fungus (fungal chemotype), is critical for assessing the regional risk of Fusarium mycotoxins in the food chain ( Goswami and Kistler, 2004 and Ward et al., 2008).