Metataxonomics for the study of toxigenic fungi

Given the growing importance of omics and their potential for ecological studies, we are starting several projects to characterise the fungal community of crops of interest due to their common mycotoxin contamination. The increase in temperatures and drought caused by climate change is leading to a change in the geographical distribution of toxigenic species. For example, using a metataxonomic approach, we have been able to characterise which species of toxigenic fungi could pose a higher risk in oats (Gil-Serna et al., 2022). Due to the high sensitivity of the technique, we have been able to demonstrate for the first time the presence of F. langsethiae in oats in Spain. This fungus is a major producer of type A trichothecenes, toxins whose importance has been increasing dramatically in recent years. These techniques are essential to predict the risk of mycotoxin contamination in food products.