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Rice false smut, caused by the ascomycete fungus Ustilaginoidea virens, which infects rice florets before heading, severely threatens rice grain yield and quality worldwide. The U. virens genome encodes a number of glycoside hydrolase (GH) proteins. So far, the functions of these GHs in U. virens are largely unknown. In this study, we identified a GH42 protein secreted by U. virens, named UvGHF1, that exhibits β‐galactosidase activity. UvGHF1 not only functions as an essential virulence factor during U. virens infection, but also serves as a pathogen‐associated molecular pattern (PAMP) in Nicotiana benthamiana and rice. The PAMP activity of UvGHF1 is independent of its β‐galactosidase activity. Moreover, UvGHF1 triggers cell death in N. benthamiana in a BAK1‐dependent manner. Ectopic expression of UvGHF1 in rice induces pattern‐triggered immunity and enhances rice resistance to fungal and bacterial diseases. RNA‐seq analysis revealed that UvGHF1 expression in rice not only activates expression of many defence‐related genes encoding leucine‐rich repeat receptor‐like kinases and WRKY and ERF transcription factors, but also induces diterpenoid biosynthesis and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways. Therefore, UvGHF1 contributes to U. virens virulence, but is also recognized by the rice surveillance system to trigger plant immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]