The behavior of Myrothecium verrucaria, artificially inoculated on spinach, was studied under seven different temperature conditions (from 5 to 35 °C) and under eight different combinations of temperature and CO2 concentration (14-30 °C and 775-870 or 1550-1650 mg/m3). The isolate used for this study was growing well on spinach, and the mycotoxins verrucarin A and roridin E were produced under all tested temperature and CO2 conditions. The maximum levels of verrucarin A (18.59 ng/g) and roridin E (49.62 ng/g) were found at a temperature of 26-30 °C and a CO2 level of 1550-1650 mg/m3. Rises in temperature as well as in temperature and CO2 concentrations had a significant effect by increasing Myrothecium leaf spots on spinach. The biosynthesis of verrucarin A was significantly increased at the highest temperature (35 °C), while roridin E was influenced by the CO2 concentration. These results show that a positive correlation between climate condition and macrocyclic trichothecene production is possible. However, because of the ability of M. verrucaria to produce mycotoxins, an increase in temperature could induce the spread of M. verrucaria in temperate regions; this pathogen may gain importance in the future.
Keywords: Climate change; HPLC-MS/MS; Mycotoxins; Phytotron; Spinacia oleracea.