Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Plasma membrane damage contributes to antifungal activity of citronellal against Penicillium digitatum

  • Short Communication
  • Published:
Journal of Food Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The antifungal activity of citronellal, a typical terpenoid of plant essential oils, against Penicllium digitatum and the possible action mode involved were investigated. Results showed that the mycelial growth and spores’ germination of P. digitatum were inhibited by citronellal in a dose-dependent manner. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) were determined to be 1.60 µL/mL and 3.20 µL/mL, respectively. It was found that the plasma membrane of citronellal-treated P. digitatum spores was damaged, as confirmed by the propidium iodide stain results, as well as a higher extracellular conductivity and release of cell constituents in citronellal-treated samples than those of control samples. Moreover, in vivo test results demonstrated that wax + citronellal (WC; 10 × MFC) treatment effectively reduced the incidence of green mold after 5 days of storage at 25 ± 2 °C. These findings suggested that the plasma damage mechanism contributed to the antifungal activity of citronellal against P. digitatum. In addition, citronellal was suggested to be a potential alternative to fungicidal agents in controlling green mold of citrus fruit.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

References

  • Aguiar RWDS, Ootani MA, Ascencio SD, Ferreira TP, Santos MMD, Santos GRD (2014) Fumigant antifungal activity of Corymbia citriodora and Cymbopogon nardus essential oils and citronellal against three fungal species. Sci World J 2014:1–8, Article ID 492138. doi:10.1155/2014/492138

  • Arancibia MY, López-Caballero ME, Gómez-Guillén MC, Montero P (2014) Release of volatile compounds and biodegradability of active soy protein lignin blend films with added citronella essential oil. Food Control 44:7–15

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carrillo-Hormaza L, Mora C, Alvarez R, Alzate F, Osorio E (2015) Chemical composition and antibacterial activity against Enterobacter cloacae of essential oils from Asteraceae species growing in the Páramos of Colombia. Ind Crop Prod 77:108–115

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Droby S, Eick A, Macarisin D, Cohen L, Rafael G, Stange R, McColum G, Dudai N, Nasser A, Wisniewski M, Shapira R (2008) Role of citrus volatiles in host recognition, germination and growth of Penicillium digitatum and Penicillium italicum. Postharvest Biol Technol 49:386–396

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fan F, Tao NG, Jia L, He XL (2014) Use of citral incorporated in postharvest wax of citrus fruit as a botanical fungicide against Penicillium digitatum. Postharvest Biol Technol 90:52–55

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jhalegar MJ, Sharma RR, Singh D (2015) In vitro and in vivo activity of essential oils against major postharvest pathogens of Kinnow (Citrus nobilis× C deliciosa) mandarin. J Food Sci Technol 52:2229–2237

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee YS, Kim J, Shin SC, Lee SG, Park IK (2008) Antifungal activity of Myrtaceae essential oils and their components against three phytopathogenic fungi. Flavour Fragr J 23:23–28

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu J, Zong Y, Qin G, Li B, Tian S (2010) Plasma membrane damage contributes to antifungal activity of silicon against Penicillium digitatum. Curr Microbiol 61:274–279

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nakahara K, Alzoreky NS, Yoshihashi T, Nguyen HT, Trakoontivakorn G (2013) Chemical composition and antifungal activity of essential oil from Cymbopogon nardus (citronella grass). JARQ-Jpn Agric Res Q 37:249–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paul S, Dubey RC, Maheswari DK, Kang SC (2011) Trachyspermum ammi (L) fruit essential oil influencing on membrane permeability and surface characteristics in inhibiting food-borne pathogens. Food Control 22:725–731

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-Alfonso CO, Martínez-Romero D, Zapata PJ, Serrano M, Valero D, Castillo S (2012) The effects of essential oils carvacrol and thymol on growth of Penicillium digitatum and P. italicum involved in lemon decay. Int J Food Microbiol 158:101–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rammanee K, Hongpattarakere T (2011) Effects of tropical citrus essential oils on growth, aflatoxin production, and ultrastructure alterations of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. Food Bioprocess Technol 4:1050–1059

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Regnier T, Combrinck S, Veldman W, du Plooy W (2014) Application of essential oils as multi-target fungicides for the control of Geotrichum citri-aurantii and other postharvest pathogens of citrus. Ind Crop Prod 61:151–159

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scora KM, Scora RW (1998) Effect of volatiles on mycelium growth of Penicillium digitatum, P. italicum, and P. ulaiense. J Basic Microbiol 38:405–413

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tao NG, Jia L, Zhou HE (2014a) Anti-fungal activity of Citrus reticulata Blanco essential oil against Penicillium italicum and Penicillium digitatum. Food Chem 153:265–271

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tao NG, Fan F, Jia L, Zhang ML (2014b) Octanal incorporated in postharvest wax of Satsuma mandarin fruit as a botanical fungicide against Penicillium digitatum. Food Control 45:56–61

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tao NG, OuYang QL, Jia L (2014c) Citral inhibits mycelial growth of Penicillium italicum by a membrane damage mechanism. Food Control 41:116–121

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tolba H, Moghrani H, Benelmouffok A, Kellou D, Maachi R (2015) Essential oil of Algerian Eucalyptus citriodora: chemical composition, antifungal activity. J Med Mycol 25:e128–e133

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Trindade LA, de Araújo Oliveira J, de Castro RD, de Oliveira Lima E (2015) Inhibition of adherence of C albicans to dental implants and cover screws by Cymbopogon nardus essential oil and citronellal. Clin Oral Invest 19:2223–2231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tyagi AK, Malik A (2010) Liquid and vapour-phase antifungal activities of selected essential oils against Candida albicans: microscopic observations and chemical characterization of Cymbopogon citratus. BMC Complement Altern Med 10:1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang H, Tao NG, Huang SR, Liu YJ (2012) Effect of Shatangju (Citrus reticulata Blanco) essential oil on spore germination and mycelium growth of Penicillium digitatum and P. italicum. J Essent Oil Bear Plants 15:715–723

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wuryatmo E, Able AJ, Ford CM, Scott ES (2014) Effect of volatile citral on the development of blue mould green mould and sour rot on navel orange. Australas Plant Pathol 43:403–411

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou HE, Tao NG, Jia L (2014) Antifungal activity of citral octanal and α-terpineol against Geotrichum citri-aurantii. Food Control 37:277–283

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zore GB, Thakre AD, Jadhav S, Karuppayil SM (2011) Terpenoids inhibit Candida albicans growth by affecting membrane integrity and arrest of cell cycle. Phytomedicine 18:1181–1190

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Funding was provided by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 31271964, 31572172), Research Foundation of Education Bureau of Hunan Province (Grant No. 15A181).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemical Engineering, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, 411105, People’s Republic of China

    Yalan Wu, Qiuli OuYang & Nengguo Tao

Authors
  1. Yalan Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Qiuli OuYang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Nengguo Tao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nengguo Tao.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wu, Y., OuYang, Q. & Tao, N. Plasma membrane damage contributes to antifungal activity of citronellal against Penicillium digitatum . J Food Sci Technol 53, 3853–3858 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-016-2358-x

Download citation

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-016-2358-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation