Pathogenicity assay on wheat.

<p>Wheat heads of the susceptible cultivar Nandu were inoculated with conidia of the wild type (WT:PH1), the Δ<i>Fgac1</i>, the complemented Δ<i>Fgac1</i> mutant (c<i>Fgac1</i>) and one ectopic mutant (ECT), respectively, and incubated 21 days. The Δ<i>Fgac1</i> mutant strain was drastically reduced in virulence. The inoculated spikelet showed necrotic lesions (close-up of the Δ<i>Fgac1</i>-inoculated spike). The wild-type, the c<i>Fgac1</i> and the ectopic strains caused symptoms typical for <i>Fusarium</i> head blight (FHB) disease. The wheat infections were performed 30 times for each strain.