**Pathogenicity and Virulence Factors of** *Fusarium graminearum* **Including Factors Discovered Using Next Generation Sequencing Technologies and Proteomics**

### **Molemi E. Rauwane 1, Udoka V. Ogugua 1, Chimdi M. Kalu 1, Lesiba K. Ledwaba 1,2, Adugna A. Woldesemayat 3 and Khayalethu Ntushelo 1,\***


Received: 15 October 2019; Accepted: 29 November 2019; Published: 22 February 2020

**Abstract:** *Fusarium graminearum* is a devasting mycotoxin-producing pathogen of grain crops. *F. graminearum* has been extensively studied to understand its pathogenicity and virulence factors. These studies gained momentum with the advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies and proteomics. NGS and proteomics have enabled the discovery of a multitude of pathogenicity and virulence factors of *F. graminearum*. This current review aimed to trace progress made in discovering *F. graminearum* pathogenicity and virulence factors in general, as well as pathogenicity and virulence factors discovered using NGS, and to some extent, using proteomics. We present more than 100 discovered pathogenicity or virulence factors and conclude that although a multitude of pathogenicity and virulence factors have already been discovered, more work needs to be done to take advantage of NGS and its companion applications of proteomics.

**Keywords:** pathogenicity; virulence; *Fusarium graminearum*; next-generation sequencing; proteomics
