Agreement Between Fusarium Head Blight Suppression and Mycotoxin Reduction Under Fungicide Treatment in Wheat

Abstract

Fusarium head blight reduces wheat yield and can contaminate grain with mycotoxins, especially deoxynivalenol. Fungicides can reduce both outcomes, but their effects do not always match. This study examined agreement between disease suppression and toxin reduction using publicly available research. A targeted literature review covered field experiments, research reviews, and published meta analyses. Numerical comparisons used reported treatment effects and their original control groups. Agreement was examined through response direction, treatment ranking, and differences between percentage reductions. No new field experiments or pooled statistical tests were performed. Published evidence showed positive relationships between visible disease and deoxynivalenol, with considerable variation among studies. One major analysis reported disease reductions of 32–52%, compared with toxin reductions of 12–45%. These treatment pairs produced gaps of 5–20 percentage points. Cultivar resistance strengthened control when combined with fungicide treatment. A large integrated management study reported 76% disease suppression and 71% toxin reduction. Other trials showed that wheat type, season, treatment timing, and application coverage changed observed responses. Recent Brazilian results also showed that the strongest yield response did not identify the greatest toxin reduction. These findings support related, but unequal, treatment responses. Visible disease remains useful for field assessment, but cannot replace grain toxin testing. Reliable evaluation should report disease, damaged kernels, toxin concentration, and yield together. Management decisions should combine cultivar resistance, suitable disease protection, and testing of harvested grain.