RESISTANCE OF FIVE TIMBER SPECIES TO MARINE BORER ATTACK

Abstract

The nature and extent of wood destruction by marine borers at Lumut Naval Base and Endau-Rompin jetties, Malaysia, were studied by exposing test blocks (200 mm × 100 mm × 30 mm) of five wood species (Koompassia malaccensis, Cynometra malaccensis, Shorea maxwelliana, Dialium platysepalum and Eugenia sp.) for 24 months. A total of 1600 blocks of wood samples representing five species, 40 replicates and four times assessment were tested at two sites. Koompassia malaccensis and Eugenia sp. were susceptible to marine borers (89.3 and 93.5% respectively at Lumut and 94.1 and 92.4% respectively at Endau-Rompin). The destructions were caused by marine borers from the families Teredinidae and Pholadidae. The attack of marine borers varied depending on timber species with K. malaccensis showing maximum destruction.