@Article{phyton.2026.082576,
AUTHOR = {Jurica Duvnjak, Daniel Kujundzic, Katarina Sunic Budimir, John C. D’Auria, Valentina Spanic},
TITLE = {Metabolic Responses of Wheat Spike Tissue Associated with <i>Fusarium</i> Infection in Genotypes Differing in Type II Resistance},
JOURNAL = {Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany},
VOLUME = {},
YEAR = {},
NUMBER = {},
PAGES = {{pages}},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/phyton/online/detail/27327},
ISSN = {1851-5657},
ABSTRACT = {In this study, metabolomic profiling using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed clear distinctions between <i>Fusarium</i>-infected and control wheat spikes, as shown by the separate clustering of infected samples. Out of 222 detected features, eight were found to be significantly altered in infected spikes compared to controls, highlighting specific metabolic changes associated with the plant’s response to Fusarium head blight (FHB) stress. In response to <i>Fusarium</i> infection, wheat exhibited significant metabolic reprogramming, with both reductions and accumulations of key metabolites. A decrease in 3-methoxytyramine (28.9–85.3%), octylamine, malic acid, and homonojirimycin suggests their early involvement in defence-related pathways either through rapid turnover, utilization in stress-induced lipid remodelling, energy diversion, or conversion into downstream protective compounds. Conversely, the accumulation of metabolites such as cis-aconitic acid, N-hexanoyl homoserine lactone, ribonic acid, and 1,3-diaminopropane points to disrupted central metabolism, increased microbial signalling activity, oxidative sugar degradation, and heightened polyamine catabolism. Together, these shifts reflect a coordinated host response involving energy redistribution, signalling modulation, and metabolic adjustments aimed at limiting pathogen spread and damage. Collectively, these findings provide insights into the metabolic responses associated with <i>Fusarium infection</i> in wheat genotypes that differ in type II resistance. Also, these results characterize metabolic responses to <i>Fusarium</i> infection in wheat genotypes differing in Type II resistance, used as a phenotypic reference of disease spread.},
DOI = {10.32604/phyton.2026.082576}
}