NATURAL DURABILITY OF EIGHT TROPICAL HARDWOODS FROM CAMEROON

Abstract

This study investigated the natural durability of eight tropical wood species which were commercial wood species Triplochiton scleroxylon, Khaya
ivorensis, Terminalia superba, Chlorophora excelsa and Pterocarpus soyauxii, and secondary species, namely, Microberllinia brazzavilensis, Pycnanthus angolensis and Musanga cecropioides tested against brown rot (Gloeophyllum trabeum and Poria placenta) and white rot (Irpex lacteus and Trametes versicolor) decay fungi according to a laboratory soil block test conducted according to ASTM D2017-81 standard. Weight losses (WL) obtained after 16 weeks of exposure to decay fungi were used to calculate the decay index, classify and rank the natural fungal durability of these species. Pterocarpus soyauxii with a decay index of less than 0.15 was the only species resistant to both brown rot G. trabeum and
white rot T. versicolor. It is suitable for above and ground contact applications.
M. brazzavilensis, T. superba, K. ivornsis, P. soyauxii and C. excelsa showed
potential for above ground applications with WL of less than 20% when exposed to brown rot G. trabeum as well as WL of more than 35% against P. placenta and the white rot decay fungi.