Effects of carbendazim on conidial germination and mitosis in germlings of Fusarium graminearum and Botrytis cinerea

The effects of carbendazim on carbendazim-sensitive (wild-type) and -resistant strains of Fusarium graminearum and Botrytis cinerea were compared. When treated with carbendazim, conidia and germlings of wild-type F. graminearum and B. cinerea germinated and grew to produce stunted, distorted, and abnormally branched germlings; in addition, distinct nuclei were replaced by irregularly distributed chromosome masses, and normal nuclear division was not observed. The CMI (chromosome mitosis index) values of wild-type strains rapidly increased within 60min of treatment with carbendazim and then rapidly declined. Whereas the wild-type strains of the two fungi responded similarly, the carbendazim-resistant strains of F. graminearum and B. cinerea responded differently to carbendazim. The resistant strain of F. graminearum showed normal mitosis but produced significantly more branches and higher CMI values when treated with carbendazim than when untreated. In contrast, the carbendazim-resistant strain of B. cinerea exhibited normal morphology and mitosis after carbendazim treatment. The results suggest that the mechanism for carbendazim resistance in F. graminearum differs from that in B. cinerea and other fungi.