Biography

My research is mainly on fungal diseases in grasses and cereals, with focus on Fusarium and mycotoxins in cereals (epidemiology, forecasting models and control measures). I have worked at NIBIO since 1997. In 1995 I achieved my Cand. scient. in Plant Physiology at the University of Oslo. In 2003, I accomplished my Dr. scient. in Plant Pathology at NIBIO and the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU). I have worked on several projects on Fusarium and mycotoxins, often with the role as the project manager of NIBIOs activities, or as a research task leader. Since 2012, I have coordinated activities within research on Fusarium and mycotoxins at NIBIO. I am the associate chair of the Department of Fungal Plant Pathology, Division of Biotechnology and Plant Health in NIBIO.

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Abstract

During the last ten years, Norwegian cereal grain industry has experienced large challenges due to Fusarium spp. and Fusarium mycotoxin contamination of small-grained cereals. To prevent severely contaminated grain lots from entering the grain supply chain, it is important to establish surveys for the most prevalent Fusarium spp. and mycotoxins. The objective of our study was to quantify and calculate the associations between Fusarium spp. and mycotoxins prevalent in oats and spring wheat. In a 6-year period from 2004-2009, 178 grain samples of spring wheat and 289 samples of oats were collected from farmers’ fields in South East Norway. The grains were analysed for 18 different Fusarium-mycotoxins by liquid chromatography – mass spectrometry. Generally, the median mycotoxin levels were higher than reported in Norwegian studies covering previous years. The DNA content of Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium culmorum, Fusarium langsethiae, Fusarium poae and Fusarium avenaceum were determined by quantitative PCR. We identified F. graminearum as the main deoxynivalenol (DON) producer in oats and spring wheat, and F. langsethiae as the main HT-2 and T-2-toxins producer in oats. No association was observed between quantity of F. graminearum DNA and quantity of F. langsethiae DNA nor for their respective mycotoxins, in oats. F. avenaceum was one of the most prevalent Fusarium species in both oats and spring wheat. The following ranking of Fusarium species was made based on the DNA concentrations of the Fusarium spp. analysed in this survey (from high to low): F. graminearum = F. langsethiae = F. avenaceum > F. poae > F. culmorum (oats); F. graminearum = F. avenaceum > F. culmorum > F. poae = F. langsethiae (spring wheat). Our results are in agreement with recently published data indicating a shift in the relative prevalence of Fusarium species towards more F. graminearum versus F. culmorum in Norwegian oats and spring wheat.

Abstract

I Jordbruksoppgjøret 2025 (Prp. 149 S (2024 – 2025)) ble det enighet om at kunnskapsstatus og -behov innen plantehelseområdet fra 2019 måtte oppdateres. Det er gjort i form av denne rapporten. Den bestilte utredningen er avgrenset til skadegjørere og planteverntiltak som er relevante for jord- og hagebruk. Utredingen tar for seg kunnskap, prosjekter og kunnskapshull siden 2019 og fram til i dag (2026). Kapittel 1 omtaler metodebruk og plantevern i et beredskapsperspektiv. Kapittel 2.1-2.8 omhandler status for utfordringer med skadegjørere og tilgang til planteverntiltak for alle aktuelle plantekulturer for ugras, skadedyr og sopp. Kapittel 2.9 gir en oversikt over godkjente og utgåtte plantevernmidler siden 2019. Kapittel 2.10 omhandler skadegjørere hvor kjemiske plantevernmidler er i begrenset bruk. Det vil si virus, bakterier og nematoder. Kapittel 3 tar for seg ny teknologi og innovative metoder for integrert plantevern og faktorer som påvirker bruken av disse. Kapittel 4 omhandler miljø- og helseeffekter knyttet til bruk av kjemiske plantevernmidler, hvilke plantekulturer som utgjør størst risiko for negative miljøeffekter og faktorer som reduserer helserisikoen. Kapittel 5 tar for seg næringens behov og utviklingstrekk knyttet til kunnskap, rådgivning og tiltak. Dette kapittelet ser også på årsaker til eventuelle endringer i bruk av og behov for plantevernmidler som følge av for eksempel miljøkrav.