CONTROL OF FUSARIUM MYCOTOXINS IN CORN, WHEAT, AND BARLEY

Identify novel candidate plant and fungal genes important in virulence and mycotoxin production. Validate gene function by gene disruption and expression analyses. Develop Arabidopsis thaliana as a model system for identification of novel plant genes for mycotoxin resistance and sensitivity. Provide the scientific basis for assessing potential impact of foreign nivalenol-producing lineages of Fusarium graminearum on U.S. agriculture.