Abstract: The effects of citral on membrane lipid peroxidation of Penicillium digitatum were investigated in this study.
After treated with citral at minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC, 2.0 μL/mL) and minimal fungicidal concentration (MFC,
4.0 μL/mL), the morphology of P. digitatum hyphae was evidently altered, as indicated by a wrinkled and rough surface,
by causing loss of cytoplasm and distortion of mycelia. Extracellular conductivity and the leakage of potassium ions were
significantly higher after citral treatment compared with the control, which indicated the increase of membrane permeability.
Moreover, citral could decrease the total lipid content of P. digitatum cells, indicating the disruption of membrane integrity.
Furthermore, the addition of citral (at both MIC and MFC) significantly increased the contents of total malondialdehyde
and hydrogen peroxide, and the activities of lipoxygenase and peroxidase. These results indicate that citral inhibits mycelial
growth of P. digitatum by a membrane damage mechanism involving membrane peroxidation.

Key words: citral, Penicillum digitatum, cell membrane, membrane peroxidation