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

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.