Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by
fungal pathogens that infect cereal crops such as wheat and barley. Crop
susceptibility to fungal infection and mycotoxin contamination is dependent on
the environment, and climate change is predicted to increase the frequency and
severity of conditions that favor contamination. However, it is unclear how
rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) will impact mycotoxin production. We
hypothesized that atmospheric CO2 levels would influence mycotoxin production.
To test this hypothesis, we inoculated grain of two barley cultivars with three
diverse strains of Fusarium graminearum, a devastating mycotoxigenic
pathogen of cereals. The inoculated grain was placed into growth chambers
controlled at 400 ppm (ambient) or 1000 ppm (elevated) CO2 conditions. The
fungus was allowed to grow, colonize the grain, and produce mycotoxins for 14
days. The grain was then collected, lyophilized, pulverized, and separated for
molecular and metabolic analyses. Fungal biomass was estimated by quantifying
DNA using Fusarium species-specific primers. Mycotoxin profiles were
determined using gas chromatography mass spectroscopy and liquid chromatography
mass spectroscopy. Results suggest that F. graminearum mycotoxin
production was influenced by elevated CO2 in a manner that was dependent on
barley cultivar and F. graminearum strain. This study provides valuable
information needed to assess future food safety risk and will be of interest to
farmers and regulatory agencies.