Techniques exist for the detection of toxigenic Fusarium fungi using quantitative PCR assays that target specific-species DNA sequences and others that target genes involved in mycotoxin production. Such techniques are routinely used in UCD. While these techniques are very useful, new next generation sequencing and digital PCR technologies are available that could increase the robustness, sensitivity and specificity of fungal detection and could also provide insights into the impact of ecological balance (i.e. the microbiome) on the prevalence and abundance of toxigenic fungi. Furthermore, there is a need to also isolate toxigenic Fusarium fungi from Irish grain samples in order to develop a biobank of isolates that can be used in the development of decision support systems and the analysis of risk (e.g. such isolates can be used to determine how sensitive Irish Fusarium fungi are to current and emerging fungicides and biopesticides).