| Summary: | Wheat, the main source of carbohydrates worldwide, can be attacked by a wide number of phytopathogenic fungi, included <i>Alternaria</i> species. <i>Alternaria</i> species commonly occur on wheat worldwide and produce several mycotoxins such as tenuazonic acid (TA), alternariol (AOH), alternariol-monomethyl ether (AME), and altenuene (ALT), provided of haemato-toxic, genotoxic, and mutagenic activities. The contamination by <i>Alternaria</i> species of wheat kernels, collected in Tuscany, Italy, from 2013 to 2016, was evaluated. <i>Alternaria</i> contamination was detected in 93 out of 100 field samples, with values ranging between 1 and 73% (mean of 18%). Selected strains were genetically characterized by multi-locus gene sequencing approach through combined sequences of allergen alt1a, glyceraldeyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and translation elongation factor 1α genes. Two well defined groups were generated; namely sections <i>Alternaria</i> and <i>Infectoriae</i>. Representative strains were analyzed for mycotoxin production. A different mycotoxin profile between the sections was shown. Of the 54 strains analyzed for mycotoxins, all strains included in Section <i>Alternaria</i> produced AOH and AME, 40 strains (99%) produced TA, and 26 strains (63%) produced ALT. On the other hand, only a very low capability to produce both AOH and AME was recorded among the Section <i>Infectoriae</i> strains. These data show that a potential mycotoxin risk related to the consumption of <i>Alternaria</i> contaminated wheat is high.
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