Insights into ecological interactions of the meal beetle Tenebrio molitor with diverse Fusarium species on wheat kernels. Tenebrio Fusarium interactions

Fusarium species have significant agro-economical and human health-related impact by infecting diverse crop plants and synthesizing important mycotoxins including T-2 or deoxynivalenol. Here, we used Tenebrio molitor larvae to investigate interactions of beetles with diverse Fusarium species on wheat kernels. Since T. molitor competes for the same food resource with Fusarium fungi, we tested the hypothesis whether beetles have evolved to sense and avoid Fusarium-infected grains.