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Abstract
Fusarium avenaceum is distributed worldwide and directly causes considerable crop losses. The compositions of lemongrass essential oils (EOs) were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antifungal activity of lemongrass essential oils (EOs) and the main compounds against F. avenaceum were evaluated in vitro, and the underlying mechanism was investigated. Geranial, geranyl acetate, β-citronellol, citronellal, limonene, and citral were demonstrated to be the major constituents of the EOs. Lemongrass EOs and the main compounds possessed the antifungal effect against F. avenaceum, and citral exerted the strongest antifungal effects against F. avenaceum compared with other compounds, with IC50 values of 0.087 µl/mL. Lemongrass EOs and their major constituents increased the permeability of the F. avenaceum plasma membrane, resulting in increased conductivity, protein and soluble sugar leakage. The activity of pectin methyl galacturonase (PMG) in F. avenaceum was suppressed after treatment with lemongrass EOs. The results indicated that lemongrass EOs inhibited F. avenaceum growth by targeting its plasma membrane and reduced its pathogenicity by inhibiting enzyme activity.