Effetto del genotipo e del trattamento antipiralide sulla contaminazione da specie afferenti al clade Gibberella fujikuroi in mais coltivato in Lombardia

Fusarium ear rot (FER) of maize is caused by Fusarium species belonging to Gibberella fujikuroi species complex (GFC) well known as fumonisin (FUM) producers. European corn borer (ECB), the most common maize pest in northern Italy, favors the infection of maize by GFC strains. Since ECB control is not completely effective in lowering fumonisin contamination, additional preventive means, such as increased maize resistance, are required in order to assure a more effective protection. Flavonoids in maize pericarp seem to be able to reduce the fumonisin accumulation. The goal of this study was to assess the effect of flavonoids associated with insecticides on ECB and FER rating under field conditions in Lombardy. Two maize hybrids were sown in 2011 and 2012, one hybrid characterized by the presence of flavonoids in pericarp and the other without pigmentation. The ECB damage incidence, frequency and severity of FER, together with the incidence of GFC strains and FUM in kernels, were assessed in each genotype. In 2012, the ECB control associated with flavonoids presence reduced all the measured parameters except FUM contamination. FUM contamination seemed to be more influenced by the local GFC population and the environment rather than pesticides and pericarp pigmentation.