DISCOLOURATION AND HEART ROT OF <em>ACACIA</em> <em>MANGIUM</em> WILLD. - SOME PRELIMINARY RESULTS

Abstract

The association of discolouration and heart rot in stems of Acacia mangium Willd. trees with external cull indicators, the amount of wood affected and the associated fungi were determined in this study. It was found that cankers associated with decayed branch stubs and poorly healed basal pruning wounds were good indicators of discolouration and heart rot. The volume of discoloured wood ranged from between 18 to 48% (n = 8) while the volume of heart rot ranged from between 2.7 to 17.5% (n = 8). The length of the bole of the sample trees affected by heart rot ranged from between 34 to 100%. Seventeen species of fungi were
isolated from the discoloured and decayed wood. Species of Phialophora, Trichoderma, Rhinocladiella, Thelaviopsis and Paecilomycesv were most frequently isolated. However, no single species could be identified as the main discolouration or decay causing organism.