Role of Phialemonium curvatum as a potential biological control agent against a blue stain fungus on aspen

Summary Ophiostoma crassivaginatum is the most important blue stain fungus on Populus tremuloides and causes considerable reduction in the value of the end product. The effect of a hyphomycetous fungus, Phialemonium curvatum, on the in vitro growth and wood chip colonization by O. crassivaginatum was studied. The in vitro growth of O. crassivaginatum was significantly inhibited when grown in dual culture or when treated with culture filtrate of P. curvatum. Ophiostoma crassivaginatum failed to colonize P. tremuloides wood chips when they were pre‐inoculated with mycelial suspension of P. curvatum. The potential use of P. curvatum as a biological control agent against O. crassivaginatum is suggested.