Fusarium manifests as infection of roots, stems, and spikes. Key symptoms include pink or orange-red mycelium, premature bleaching of glumes, shriveled grain, browning and destruction of the root system, as well as wilting and thinning of crops.
Disease development depends on the presence of inoculum in the soil or on plant debris, as well as on weather conditions. High humidity and temperatures above 20-25 °C during the flowering period provoke spike infection, while stress conditions, such as drought or waterlogging, facilitate the progression of root rots.
Resistance of varieties is quantitative in nature and depends on a complex of morphological features, including plant height and maturity group, as well as physiological and biochemical properties, such as enzyme activity, presence of phytoalexins, and the ability to detoxify mycotoxins.
Resistance assessment in variety trials is carried out through field observations under natural conditions, inoculation of plants on an artificial infection background, laboratory analyses for fungal DNA and mycotoxin content, and seed health testing.