Genetic variability and pathogenicity of Fusarium verticillioides isolates from the summer‐sown maize regions in China

Abstract

Maize is one of the most important food and fodder crops worldwide, and China is the second largest producer and consumer of maize. China's primary summer-sown maizeproducing regions encompass 16.65 million hectares, equalling about 40% of the total maize planting area of the country (https://www.moa.gov.cn/). The summer-sown maize regions include areas of eight provinces: Anhui (AH), Jiangsu (JS), Shandong (SD), Hebei (HB), Henan (HN), Shānxī (SX), Shănxī (SSX) and Hubei (HHB).Maize ear rot, one of the most destructive diseases in summersown maize areas of China (Li et al., 2019), and across the world, is caused by several Fusarium species. The genus Fusarium is taxonomically complex and may contain up to 1000 species, many of which can infect a diverse array of plants and can seriously damage the yield and quality of crops, particularly cereals. The species associated with maize ear rot include Fusarium verticillioides, F. proliferatum