DECAY RESISTANCE AGAINST <em>BASIDIOMYCETES</em> FUNGI OF HEAT-TREATED <em>PINUS</em> <em>ROXBURGHII</em> AND <em>MANGIFERA</em> <em>INDICA</em> WOOD

Abstract

TRIPATHI S, PANT H & KASHYAP AK. 2014. Decay resistance against Basidiomycetes fungi of heat-treated Pinus roxburghii and Mangifera indica wood. Heat treatment of wood is an effective method to improve biological durability of wood without using non environmentally-friendly conventional preservatives. This study was performed to investigate the effects of the heat treatment on the resistance of wood against fungal attack. Softwood (Pinus roxburghii) and hardwood (Mangifera indica) species were heat treated at different temperatures for different durations. The decay resistance of heat-treated wood specimens was examined by soil block bioassay method. The specimens were exposed to wood-rotting fungi (Oligoporus placentus and Trametes versicolor) for 14 weeks and the weight loss was assessed. This study revealed that the decay resistance of P. roxburghii and M. indica wood against fungal attack could be improved with heat treatment.