Natural resistance of five woods to Phanerochaete chrysosporium degradation

This research evaluated the natural resistance of five woods to the white-rot wood-destroying fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium under laboratory conditions and in nature. The studied species were Hymenaea stigonocarpa, Anadenanthera colubrina, Caesalpinia ferrea, Manilkara huberi and Delonix regia. The natural resistance to decay is one of the most important properties of wood, mainly assigned to lignin and extractives of wood. A. colubrina has the highest content of extractives and M. huberi the highest content of lignin; both are known as resistant to xylophagous organisms and were also most resistant to the tested fungus. C ferrea has the lowest content of extractives and D. regia of lignin; both species did not inhibit the fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium. H. stigonocarpa occupies an intermediate position in content of extractives and lignin as well in resistance to P. chrysosporium. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.