2. Academic Validation
  3. Trans-2-decenal inhibits Phytophthora capsici by inducing ROS accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction

Trans-2-decenal inhibits Phytophthora capsici by inducing ROS accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction

  • Pestic Biochem Physiol. 2025 Dec:215:106673. doi: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2025.106673.
Siyuan Xie 1,  Lanning Wang 1,  Jingkun Lv 1,  Xiang Feng 2,  Siyu Li 2,  Haojie Tan 2,  Chao Wang 1,  Gang Wang 1,  Hongjun Ge 1,  Chun Xiao 1,  Danyu Shen 3,  Daolong Dou 1
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
  • 2 College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
  • 3 Department of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 41162063 DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2025.106673
Abstract

Phytophthora capsici is a highly destructive plant-pathogenic oomycete that poses a severe threat to global agricultural production. Trans-2-decenal is a natural plant-derived unsaturated aliphatic aldehyde, whose antimicrobial properties against plant pathogens remain poorly understood. In this study, its inhibitory efficacy and underlying mechanisms against P. capsici were systematically investigated. Trans-2-decenal exhibited potent inhibitory activity against P. capsici via biofumigation, with an EC50 value of 12.37 μg/mL. It not only impacted normal hyphal morphology and ultrastructure, but also inhibited sporangia formation, zoospore release, and germination in a dose-dependent manner. Calcofluor white staining showed that trans-2-decenal disrupted cell wall integrity. Trans-2-decenal treatment compromised cell membrane integrity and permeability, accompanied by DNA and soluble protein leakage. Additionally, trans-2-decenal triggered intracellular ROS accumulation, reduced glutathione levels, and disrupted mitochondrial membrane potential, ultimately leading to cellular dysfunction and death. In planta assays validated its robust control efficacy against P. capsici Infection. Transcriptomic analysis further identified 2557 differentially expressed genes, with significant downregulation in critical metabolic pathways such as nitrogen metabolism, tyrosine metabolism and phenylalanine metabolism. Taken together, these results elucidate a multitarget inhibitory mechanism of trans-2-decenal against P. capsici, and highlight its potential as an eco-friendly agent for the sustainable management of Phytophthora-induced plant diseases.

Keywords

Biofumigation; Mitochondrial dysfunction; Oxidative stress; Phytophthora capsici; Trans-2-decenal.

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