AbstractBACKGROUNDPhomopsis stem‐end rot caused by Diaporthe citri, causes significant commercial postharvest losses of pummelo fruit during storage. Carvacrol (CVR) is a known generally recognized as safe and has the ability to prolong the preservation of harvested fruits. In the present study, the inhibitory effects of CVR treatment at the appropriate concentration on Phomopsis stem‐end rot development of harvested pummelo fruit inoculated with D. citri were evaluated by the amounts of cell wall components, the activities and gene expressions of related enzymes involved in cell wall modification and lignin biosynthesis.RESULTSResults indicated that CVR completely inhibited D. citri growth in vitro at 200 mg L−1 and significantly controlled Phomopsis stem‐end rot development in harvested pummelo. The CVR treatment delayed peel softening and browning, and retarded electrolyte leakage, superoxide radical (O2•−) production, and malondialdehyde content. The CVR‐treated fruit maintained higher amounts of cell wall material, protopectin, hemicelluloses, and cellulose, but exhibited lower water‐soluble pectin amount. Moreover, in D. citri‐inoculated fruit, CVR treatment suppressed the activities and gene expressions of cell wall disassembling‐enzymes, including pectin methylesterase, polygalacturonase, cellulase, and β‐galactosidase, while the development of cell wall degradation was reduced. Meanwhile, the CVR treatment enhanced the lignin biosynthesis by increasing the activities and up‐regulating the gene expressions of phenylalanine ammonialyase, cinnamic alcohol dehydrogenase, and peroxidase accompanied with elevated level of lignin in pummelo fruit.CONCLUSIONThe disease resistance to D. citri in pummelo fruit elicited by CVR treatment is related to delaying cell wall degradation and enhancing lignin biosynthesis. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.