Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, As Represented by the Minister

Agri-food Canada

Steve Gleddie

Linda J Harris

Fusarium graminearum is a plant pathogen, attacking a wide range of plant species including corn (ear and stalk rot), barley, and wheat (head blight). Fusarium epidemics result in millions of dollars of loses in crop revenues. Fusarium graminearum infection in the cereals reduces both grain yield and quality. Mycotoxins are produced by many fungal Fusarium species and thus the grain becomes contaminated with these mycotoxins, such as the trichothecenes. The major trichothecene produced by F. graminearum is deoxynivalenol (abbreviated as DON, also known as vomitoxin). Trichothecenes are potent protein synthesis inhibitors and are quite toxic to humans and livestock. A yeast gene has been identified which is resistant to the trichothecene, trichodermin. A corresponding plant gene has been prepared, which has been used to transform plants and would be suitable to transform animals. These transformed plants have an increased resistance to Fusarium infestation. Potentially, transformed animals could have an increased tolerance to the trichothecene mycotoxins.

Growing community of inventors

Ottawa, Canada

Steve Gleddie