Comparative antifungal activity of three essential oils against mycotoxigenic fusarium graminearum and multi-omics analysis

Carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde and citral inhibited F. graminearum development and DON production, outperforming SDA. • Three essential oils (EOs) downregulated key TRI genes, whereas SDA paradoxically upregulated TRI11 and failed to effectively suppress DON production. • Three EOs disrupted cell walls, membranes and mitochondrial integrity. • Multi-omics revealed EOs disruption of terpenoid and energy metabolism. • Carvacrol-cinnamaldehyde mixtures reduced wheat crown rot and DON. This study aims to identify eco-friendly essential oils (EOs) with dual antifungal and anti-mycotoxigenic activity against Fusarium graminearum , a destructive cereal pathogen associated with yield loss and deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination, compare their bioactivity and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Among the seven tested EOs, carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde and citral were the most effective, markedly inhibiting mycelial growth, conidial germination, and DON production. These EOs showed greater inhibitory activity than sodium diacetate (SDA), which upregulated key TRI genes. Multi-omics analyses revealed that the tested EOs induced cell wall and membrane damage, mitochondrial dysfunction and perturbations in critical metabolic pathways, including terpenoid biosynthesis and energy metabolism. Wheat seedling assays further demonstrated that carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde and their synergistic combinations substantially reduced crown rot and DON accumulation, whereas SDA exacerbated the disease. These findings identify promising EO candidates and provide a robust scientific basis for developing EO-based sustainable biocontrol strategies against F. graminearum in wheat. Download: Download high-res image (287KB) Download: Download full-size image