Effect of Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) on perillaldehyde-mediated regulation of postharvest Aspergillus flavus growth on peanuts

Perillaldehyde (PAE) is a natural compound used to control post-harvest fungal disease. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) also has anti-fungal effects, but its synergistic effects on the anti-fungal mechanisms of PAE against Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus) are unexplored. Therefore, we examined A. flavus mycelial growth, conidial formation, and pathogenicity, as well as the mechanisms, with EDTA and PAE treatment. EDTA was found to accelerate PAE-suppressed mycelial growth and conidial formation. These effects coincided with an increase in membrane permeability, autophagy, and apoptosis. Accordingly, the expression of pathogenicity-associated genes was dramatically decreased with PAE + EDTA treatment. In addition, the levels of the antioxidants vitamin C, total thiols, and total phenols, and the total antioxidant capacity and radical-scavenging capacity were increased with EDTA + PAE. Thus, the findings indicate that EDTA enhances PAE-mediated control of post-harvest A. flavus via autophagy, apoptosis, antioxidant, and membrane permeability mechanisms, making it suitable for global application in the food industry to attenuate A. flavus from post-harvest crops and improve antioxidant nutrient accumulation.