Effect of environmental factors on Fusarium population and associated trichothecenes in wheat grain grown in Jiangsu province, China

• The average concentrations of DON were 879.3 ± 1127.8, 627.8 ± 640.5, and 1628.6 ± 2168.0 μg/kg in 2013–2015, respectively.
• The average concentration of DON in wheat was positively correlated to precipitation (r = 0.998, p < 0.05). However, the average concentration of 3ADON in wheat was negatively correlated to precipitation (r = − 0.887, p < 0.05)
• There were no correlations between temperature and the concentrations of trichothecenes, excluding 3ADON (r = 0.996, p < 0.01).
• The 3ADON chemotype was found only among strains of F. asiaticum. The NIV chemotype was not observed among strains of F. graminearum, while the 15ADON chemotype represented 100% of the F. graminearum strains collected.
• There were no correlations between environmental conditions and the species or genetic chemotype composition of pathogens in Jiangsu province in 2013–2015.

The present study was performed to identify prevailing Fusarium species and the environmental factors affecting their frequencies and the contamination of grain with major mycotoxins in Jiangsu province. The precipitation levels were 184.2 mm, 156.4 mm, and 245.8 mm in the years 2013–2015, respectively, and the temperature fluctuated by an average of 10.6 ± 7.2 °C in 2013, 10.9 ± 7.2 °C in 2014, and 10.6 ± 6.3 °C in 2015. Co-occurrence of deoxynivalenol (DON), 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3ADON), and 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (15ADON) were observed in wheat. The average concentrations of DON were 879.3 ± 1127.8, 627.8 ± 640.5, and 1628.6 ± 2,168.0 μg/kg in 2013–2015, respectively. The average concentrations of 3ADON were 43.5 ± 59.0, 71.2 ± 102.5, and 33.5 ± 111.9 μg/kg in 2013–2015, respectively. We found that the average concentration of DON in wheat was positively correlated with precipitation (r = 0.998, p < 0.01), and 3ADON was negatively correlated with precipitation (r = − 0.887, p < 0.05). However, there was no correlation between precipitation and 15ADON or nivalenol (NIV). The differences in temperature were not as significant as the differences in rainfall amount over a short time period. Therefore, there were no correlations between temperature and the concentrations of trichothecenes, excluding 3ADON (r = 0.996, p < 0.01). Our data indicated that Fusarium asiaticum is the primary pathogenic fungus prevalent in the Fusarium head blight disease nursery. The trichothecene chemotype composition differed between Fusarium graminearum sensu stricto (s. str.) and F. asiaticum isolates. The 3ADON chemotype was found only among strains of F. asiaticum. The NIV chemotype was not observed among strains of F. graminearum, while the 15ADON chemotype represented 100% of the F. graminearum strains collected. The results of this study indicated no correlations between environmental conditions and the species or genetic chemotype composition of pathogens in Jiangsu province in 2013–2015.