The L. theobromae FJAT-9860 strain was isolated from wax apple fruit in Zhangzhou, Fujian Province, PR China, and maintained on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium (containing the extract of 200 g of boiled potato, 20 g of glucose and 20 g of agar in 1 L of distilled water) at 4 C. Spore suspensions were prepared by flooding 7-dayold sporulating cultures of L. theobromae with sterile distilled water.