FUSARIUM SPP. CONTAMINATION OF WHEAT, MAIZE, SOYBEAN, AND PEA IN CROATIA

From 2002 to 2008, 203 samples of wheat, maize, soybean, and pea were analysed for the presence of Fusarium species. Contamination with Fusarium spp., expressed as the percentage of seeds with Fusarium colonies, ranged from 5% to 69% for wheat, from 25% to 100% for maize, from 4% to 17% for soybean, and from 3% to 17% for pea. 187 isolates were collected and the following 19 species determined: F. graminearum, F. poae, F. avenaceum, F. verticillioides, F. sporotrichioides, F. heterosporum, F. crookwellense, F. tricinctum, F. semitectum, F. oxysporum, F. proliferatum, F. solani, F. equiseti, F. pseudograminearum, F. chlamydosporum, F. sambucinum, F. compactum, F. scirpi, and F. culmorum. Dominant species were F. graminearum on wheat (27% of isolates), F. verticillioides on maize (83% of isolates), F. sporotrichioides on soybean (34% of isolates), and F. proliferatum on pea (29% of isolates). Among species identified, F. heterosporum, F. crookwellense, F. pseudograminearum, F. sambucinum, and F. compactum have been reported for the first time in Croatia.