(PC). The results indicate that AN dominated spatial colonization due to its robust resource acquisition capabilities and growth advantages. Although TV exhibited rapid growth, it suffered a high rate of cellular inactivation. Conversely, PC demonstrated superior cellular stress tolerance. Based on these competitive dynamics, cinnamaldehyde was selected as the core mold inhibitor from eight natural plant extracts due to its optimal broad-spectrum inhibitory activity. Subsequently, a cinnamaldehyde-citral synergistic formulation was developed, which exhibited pronounced synergistic inhibitory effects, particularly against the highly aggressive AN and TV. In a 28-day anti-mold test, the treated bamboo samples achieved a mold rating of 0, demonstrating a 100% protective efficacy. Microscopic analyses confirmed that this composite inhibitor inactivates mold by disrupting the cellular wall and membrane structures. Furthermore, the retention of this inhibitor system within the bamboo pores is primordially driven by deep physical deposition and robust physical adsorption inside the porous networks, while trace chemical anchoring via potential Schiff base reactions serves as a minor, supplementary mechanism, thereby exhibiting excellent short-to-medium-term protective efficacy under standard conditions. This study provides novel insights and a theoretical foundation for the development of sustainable, high-efficiency natural mold inhibitors for bamboo.IMPORTANCEMold growth on bamboo products causes significant economic losses and poses potential health risks. Current anti-mold treatments often rely on harsh chemicals and overlook the complex, competitive dynamics among different mold species during colonization. This study reveals the interspecific competitive relationships among common bamboo molds, identifying the most aggressive colonizers. Based on these ecological insights, we developed a highly effective, eco-friendly synergistic formulation combining cinnamaldehyde and citral. This compound inhibitor selectively targets dominant molds by disrupting their cellular structures, while achieving reliable short-to-medium-term protection under standard temperature and humidity conditions through the synergy of multi-scale physical entrapment and secondary chemical anchoring. This work provides a rigorous theoretical basis for developing a new generation of targeted, eco-friendly anti-mold technologies for natural lignocellulosic materials.
Zhang et al. (Mon,) studied this question.