| Summary: | Valsa canker caused by <i>Valsa pyri</i> is one of the most destructive diseases of commercial pear. For the present analysis, 29 different endophytic fungal strains were isolated from the branches of a healthy pear tree. In dual culture assays, strain ZZ1 exhibited robust antifungal activity against all tested pathogens including <i>Valsa pyri</i>. Microscopic analyses suggested that following co-culture with ZZ1, the hyphae of <i>V. pyri</i> were ragged, thin, and ruptured. ZZ1 also induced significant decreases in lesion length and disease incidence on detached pear branches inoculated with <i>V. pyri</i>. ZZ1 isolate-derived culture filtrates also exhibited antifungal activity against <i>V. pyri</i>, decreasing mycelial growth and conidium germination and inhibiting <i>V. pyri-</i>associated lesion development on pear branches. These results suggest that the ZZ1 isolate has the potential for use as a biological control agent against <i>V. pyri</i>. The strain was further identified as <i>Penicillium</i> <i>citrinum</i> based on its morphological characteristics and molecular analyses. Overall, these data highlight a potentially valuable new biocontrol resource for combating pear Valsa canker.
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