Geraniol: A Potential Defense-Related Volatile in “Baiye No. 1” Induced by Colletotrichum camelliae

Plants produce and emit a large variety of volatiles that have multiple defense-related functions in response to abiotic or biotic stresses. In comparison with studies on plant volatile–herbivore interactions, little research has been carried out on plant volatile–microbe interactions. In the present paper, tea volatile–Colletotrichum camelliae interactions were studied. The results of emitted volatiles following infection with C. camelliae in “Baiye No. 1” showed that healthy tea plants contained 68 kinds of volatiles, while infected tea plants contained 76 kinds of volatiles. Five volatiles, namely, geraniol, linalool, methyl salicylate, (E)-3-hexen-1-ol, and α-farnesene, were found to have a relatively large content variation in infected tea plants, with increments of 7.903%, −2.247%, 2.770%, −6.728%, and 3.848%, respectively. The fungicidal activity results of the five volatiles against C. camelliae showed that geraniol had the best activity, with MIC and MBC values of 0.5 and 1 mg·mL−1, respectively. Thus, geraniol was selected for subsequent studies. The effects of geraniol on the mycelia and cell structures of C. camelliae were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The results showed that the mycelia were significantly disrupted, and the cell structures were damaged. The effects of geraniol on the related enzymes of C. camelliae were assessed. The results showed that cellulase activity increased, malondialdehyde content increased, and the activity of defense enzymes was inhibited, thereby inhibiting the growth of pathogens. This study provides the first evidence that geraniol is a defense-related function volatile of “Baiye No. 1” in response to C. camelliae stress. It also provides valuable information and enriches the chemical ecology of tea plant diseases for the research field on defensive substances of microbe-induced plant volatiles.