Promoting fungal pigment formation in wood by utilizing a modified decay jar method

The role of test block placement within a modified decay jar system for promotion of fungal pigments was investigated. Beech and sugar maple blocks were inoculated with common pigment producing fungi and incubated for 10?weeks. Blocks were placed either below the vermiculite or resting on its surface; no feeder strips were utilized. Amount of pigmentation differed with block placement with Arthrographis cuboidea (on sugar maple and beech) and Xylaria polymorpha (only on sugar maple) producing more pigment when placed on the surface of the vermiculite. The differences in pigmentation, however, were not necessarily due to moisture content differences within test blocks, as moisture content did not vary significantly by block placement with A. cuboidea. Results indicate that placement of wood above vermiculite may increase pigmentation; however, reasons for the increase appear to differ among fungi.     

Relationship between production of hydroxyl radicals and degradation of wood, crystalline cellulose, and a lignin-related compound or accumulation of oxalic acid in cultures of brown-rot fungi

The degradation of wood, filter paper cellulose, and a lignin-substructure model, was measured in cultures of seven fungi usually regarded as brown-rot fungi. Hydroxyl radical production and the accumulation of oxalic acid in the cultures were also measured. Four of the fungi, Gloeophyllum trabeum, Tyromyces palustris, Laetiporus sulphureus, and Postia placenta, were typical brown-rot fungi, in that they preferentially degraded and eliminated the polysaccharides in wood and produced large amounts of hydroxyl radical. The rates of hydroxyl radical generation in cultures of the four fungi were directly proportional to the degradation rates of wood, cellulose, and the lignin-related compound, and inversely proportional to the amount of oxalic acid in the cultures. Two of the fungi, Daedalea dickinsii and Lentinus lepideus, did not degrade any of the substrates significantly and produced very little hydroxyl radical. Coniophora puteana had the highest rate of cellulose degradation, but did not degrade wood or the lignin model significantly and produced only negligible amounts of hydroxyl radical. These results indicate that brown-rot fungi produce large amounts of hydroxyl radical for the degradation of wood and crystalline cellulose.     

易形成菌纹线树种调查

花斑木是经真菌形成着色的木材的统称,其中,菌纹线构成错综复杂的图案,具有极高的装饰价值。研究表明材种影响菌纹线的形成,为了选择易形成菌纹线的材种以培育具菌纹线的花斑木,对西南林业大学标本库及野外易形成菌纹线树种进行调查统计。结果表明:自然条件下针叶材中易形成菌纹的树种极少,大部分阔叶材易形成菌纹线,主要归属于核桃科、槭树科、榛木科、桦木科、梧桐科、樟科等,龙脑香科、芸香科、无患子科、桃金娘科的木材较难形成菌纹线。常见的易形成菌纹线的木材包括:槭木、西南桤木、合欢、白兰、黄葛树、青钱柳、白楠、山杨等。     

Nursery inoculation of Eucalyptus seedlings in Western Australia and Southern China using spores and mycelial inoculum of diverse ectomycorrhizal fungi from different climatic regions

A large-scale ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungus inoculation program was conducted in plantation forest tree nurseries in Australia and China over a period of 2 years. These experiments used a wide diversity of fungi (90 isolates belonging to 23 genera), most of which were obtained from Australian eucalyptus plantations or forests. These trials compared the effectiveness of mycelial slurries (homogenised liquid fungal cultures) and spore suspensions (ground dried fruit bodies) as inoculum forms in nurseries with widely differing management regimes. The success rate of inoculation was moderate, regardless of nursery management regime (38% overall). However, there were substantial differences in overall performance between fungal genera, with agaricoid genera, such as Descolea and Laccaria, and hypogeous (truffle-like) fungi performing better than sequestrate genera, such as Pisolithus and Scleroderma. Comparison of congeneric fungal isolates from different climatic regions did not show significant differences in the performance of fungi from regions where climatic conditions were most similar to nursery conditions relative to those from disparate climatic regions (tropical, temperate, or mediterranean). There was a higher overall success rate for inoculation with spore suspensions (49%) than for mycelial slurries obtained from liquid cultures (35%). Spore-based inoculum was also easier to use and much less expensive to produce than mycelial slurries. It is recommended that future studies investigate the use of mixtures of fungi and attempt to optimise spore germination to increase the reliability of eucalypt seedling nursery inoculation.     

Modelling of pH effects and CIE L*a*b*colour spaces of beech wood-inhabiting fungi by NIRS

A combination of statistical techniques of analyses were used to evaluate the potential of International Commission on Illumination (CIE) lightness (L*), redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) colour space system and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to assess surface changes in relation with progressive decay of beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) by wood-inhabiting lignicolous fungi Inonotus hispidus, Trametes versicolor and Xylaria polymorpha. pH effects based modelling predictions of beech earlywood and latewood tissues were also included. Multivariate analysis techniques included response surface optimization, sample-specific standard error of prediction (SEP) method and projection to latent structures partial least squares (PLS) regression. Strong statistical relationships were derived for pH predictions with R² values ranged: from 0.77 to 0.84 for I. hispidus; from 0.77 to 0.84 for T. versicolor and from 0.83 to 0.91 for X. polymorpha. R² values for CIE-based L*a*b* colour space measurements ranged: from 0.43 to 0.69 (L*), 0.66 to 0.76 (a*), 0.42 to 0.53 (b*) for I. hispidus; from 0.59 to 0.69 (L*), 0.69 to 0.79 (a*), 0.64 to 0.79 (b*) for T. versicolor; and from 0.51 to 0.75 (L*), 0.89 to 0.94 (a*), 0.85 to 0.89 (b*) for X. polymorpha. Multivariate technical analysis (response surface analysis, sample-specific SEP, PLS regression) of CIE L*a*b* system and NIRS results should be able to characterize pH effects and surface changes of wood spalted by lignicolous fungi as a quick and reliable non-destructive method relevant to wood-spalting concerns and the forest products industry.     

木材真菌染色研究现状及发展趋势

木材真菌染色是由于真菌侵染而导致材色改变,包括菌纹线、白腐和染色。木材真菌染色可形成特殊肌理和色泽,改善木材的装饰特性,为木质产品的设计带来多样化的塑造空间。作为一种全新、天然的染色方式,真菌染色技术对于木材的美学价值和综合利用率都有较大提高。目前,分析木材真菌染色机理及染色工艺改进是开发真菌染色木材的关键。菌纹线是由于真菌的种间或种内的对抗形成,染色是由于真菌在细胞外部分泌色素或是伴随真菌自身在木材内部的生长形成。笔者从木材真菌染色机理、染色方法、染色条件、真菌染色木材性能等方面综述了木材真菌染色的研究进展。重点介绍了针对不同表现形式的不同染色方法,并对存在的问题进行了分析,提出了后续研究的方向为采用多种真菌的组合运用、环保色素溶剂的筛选、探寻更多的真菌色相用于色素提取方法染色、结合染料渗透机理改进染色工艺等。     

A lack of large-diameter logs and snags characterises dead wood patterns in Irish forests

Dead wood is an important component of forest ecosystems and volumes vary depending on forest age, management intensity and productivity. This is the first large-scale study to quantify dead wood in Irish forests and to compare them to forests in other locations. We measured the volume and size distribution of logs, the density and size distribution of snags and the volume of dead wood contained in stumps in Oak (Quercus spp.) and Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) forests and in Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) plantations throughout Ireland. We also assigned each log, snag and stump to one of three decay classes (intact, part-rotted and well-rotted). We found no significant difference in log volume between any of the forest types. The majority (>90%) of logs were less than 20 cm in diameter, and large logs (>40 cm diameter) were scarce. We found a relatively high density of snags in all forest types but, as in the case of logs, over 90% of snags were <20 cm DBH and large snags (>40 cm DBH) were rare. The volume of dead wood contained in stumps was significantly higher in plantations than in Oak or Ash forests as a result of thinning and harvesting. Most logs and snags were moderately decayed but, in plantations, most stumps were intact. Log volume and the size of logs and snags were considerably lower than in old-growth forests in other regions. These patterns may reflect historical use of Irish forests for coppice and timber production. Management for biodiversity should aim to accelerate dead wood accumulation to increase the frequency of large-diameter logs and snags. Although management seeking to replicate the dead wood volumes of old-growth forests is ideal, it may be unrealistic in the short term.     

Gremmeniella-infected Pinus contorta as raw material in the production of kraft pulp

Pinus contorta, logs with occluded cankers caused by the pathogen Gremmeniella abietina, as well as logs from unaffected trees were sampled from a 23-year-old plantation in Sweden and compared in terms of their paper properties. Damaged wood gave kraft pulp with poor paper properties: it required a larger amount of beating energy and resulted in paper with low tear strength, air permeability, tensile stiffness, burst strength, and poor light-scattering properties. However, small amounts of damaged wood mixed in with a large amount of healthy wood can pass almost unnoticed. The use of trees with a larger content of damaged wood will lead to serious processing problems and give a pulp with poor paper properties. Thus, wood damaged by Gremmeniella should be sorted out and classed as low-grade raw material.     

Decay development in living sapwood of coniferous and deciduous trees inoculated with six wood decay fungi

Development of decay and/or discoloration was assessed in the functional sapwood of one coniferous and three deciduous trees after wounding and artificial inoculation with six wood decay fungi. Living stems of mature Douglas fir, beech, oak, and sycamore trees were wounded in spring 2002 and immediately inoculated with brown, white, and soft rot fungi. Extent of discoloration and decay, wood weight loss, and total phenols in the reaction zone (zone of active response at a dynamic interface between living sapwood and wood colonized by decay fungi) were assessed 16 and 28 months after inoculation.     

Mycobiota in needles of Abies alba with and without symptoms of Herpotrichia needle browning

The ascomycete Nematostoma parasiticum (syn.: Herpotrichia parasitica) is commonly perceived as the causal agent of the so‐called Herpotrichia needle browning in silver fir (Abies alba). However, its fruitbodies are rarely present on symptomatic needles, which are also colonized by many presumably saprotrophic fungi. We compared the internal colonization of healthy and symptomatic needles on two sites in Poland. In addition, the endophytic mycobiota in needles of various age was recorded on two other sites without disease symptoms. Fungi were isolated from 95.6% of the dead needles and from 62.9% of the living needles on symptomatic trees, whereas on healthy trees, only 45.0% of the needles were colonized internally. Colonization frequency increased with needle age. From a total of 2017 isolates, 116 fungal taxa were identified. Frequency of many species was influenced by needle type. Anthostomella formosa, Gloeosporidiella sp., Hypoxylon fragiforme, Xylaria hypoxylon and X. polymorpha were the most common fungi isolated from living needles. In symptomless living needles, fungi occurred significantly more often in the basal than in the apical parts. In dead needles, the most common fungi were Alternaria alternata, Paraconiothyrium sporulosum, Fusarium sp., Mollisia cinerea, Rhizoctonia sp., Rhizosphaera oudemansii, Thysanophora penicillioides, Xylaria hypoxylon and X. polymorpha. Rhizoctonia sp. was the most frequently isolated fungus in dead needles (23.4%) but occurred rarely also in living needles (0.3–1.1%). The supposed pathogen N. parasiticum was detected only sporadically (at most in 0.6% of the needles). Our findings demonstrate the need for understanding the role of Rhizoctonia sp. in Herpotrichia needle browning disease aetiology.     

Identification of wood‐decay fungi and assessment of damage in log depots of Western Black Sea Region (Turkey)

The aim of this study was to determine and quantify the wood‐decay fungi found on logs of forest tree species (beech, oak, hornbeam, Scots pine and fir) stored in log depots located in six different provinces in the Western Black Sea Region of Turkey. Additionally, it was aimed to determine the natural durability of some important wood species against the most commonly detected wood‐decay fungi. Eighteen families, 31 genera and 45 species belonging to the division Basidiomycota were detected; Antrodia crassa was identified for the first time in Turkey. The abundance of Panus neostrigosus, Polyporus meridionalis, Trametes hirsuta, T. versicolor and Stereum hirsutumincreased significantly with the holding time of the logs (r = 0.99, 0.87, 0.53, 0.57 and 0.78, respectively, p < 0.05). The majority of the fungal species were detected on logs stored in depots for 4–6 years (66%). The percentage of fungal species found on the logs with a holding time of three years or less was 29%, whereas the percentage for those detected on logs stored for seven or more years was 31%. Among the wood species, the greatest number of fungal species (29) and highest amount of fungi (2,539) occurred on beech wood. Natural durability tests showed that T. versicolor caused the greatest loss of wood mass, with an average of 23%. Field studies and natural durability tests performed in the laboratory showed that beech wood lost the most mass among the timber species studied.     

Response of maple sapwood to injury and infection

In sapwood challenge experiments in Acer rubrum, columns of discolouration initiated by wounding and inoculation with pioneer fungi (Cephalosporium sp., Phialophora sp.) were similar in size to untreated wounds. Inoculation with decay fungi (Pleurotus ostreatus, Trametes versicolor) produced larger columns of wound-initiated discolouration. The removal of bark around a bore wound caused a significantly larger column to form compared to the sum of the columns inititiated by separate wounds. Stage-I discoloured wood, not associated with obviously rotted wood, had concentrations of mobile cations and soluble phenols similar to sapwood. Stage-II discoloured wood, spatially associated with rotted wood, was frequently bounded by a chemically distinct boundary layer and the discoloured wood contained significantly greater concentrations of mobile cations and soluble phenols than stage-I discoloured wood.     

Fungal inoculation induces agarwood in young Aquilaria malaccensis trees in the nursery

Fungi are often used to induce agarwood inAquilariatrees. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of several fungi on agarwood formation over time in youngAquilaria malaccensis （Lam.） trees. Typical changes in the length and light intensity of the resulting discoloration were observed after three and six month periods following inoculation. Wood samples were observed microscopically and classified into several light intensity groups. The discoloration length was meas-ured longitudinally. The duration after inoculation affected the mean of discoloration length： the 6-month old sample （1.70 cm） had a wider discoloration zone when compared to the 3-month old sample （1.17 cm）. When measuring the discoloration intensity, a positive relationship with time was perceived. Digital images, captured using a camera-equipped microscope, revealed that wood samples collected after six months appeared to be 1.8-times darker than after three months. We concluded that time, not the species of any of the tested fungi, had significant effect on discoloration length and intensity. Gas chromatography/mass spec-trometry （GCMS） analysis of the 6-month old sample yielded some important agarwood compounds such as benzylacetone, anisylacetone, guaiene and palustrol. This demonstrates that the tested fungi have the ability to induce agarwood formation in nurseryA. malaccensis trees.     

Biodeteriorating agents associated with three tropical timber species

Biodeteriorating agents are major problems of wood particularly in tropical Africa. Biodeterioration is widely observed in light coloured hardwood species especially Celtis mildbraedii, Ceiba pentandra and Pterygota macrocarpa. To determine biodeteriorating agents associated with these degradable woods, logs of C. mildbraedii, C. pentandra and P. macrocarpa were left for 6 weeks at the loading bay during the dry and wet seasons of the year 2001. The surfaces of logs were assessed for stain and mould after 7, 14, 28, and 42 days of storage. Pterygota macrocarpa harboured the highest fungal population count of 60.3×103 colony-forming units (CFU) with C. mildbraedii harbouring the least at 4.2×10² CFU after a week exposure in the dry season. Fusarium solani and Penicillium citrinum were the dominant surface moulds on log ends of wood samples, while Lasiodiplodia theobromae and Ceratocystis fagacearum were the dominant sapstain fungi. Pterygota macrocarpa and C. pentandra were more susceptible to woodborers than C. mildbraedii because of the lack of true heartwood and richer store of nutrients in its wood cells.     

The use of the green fluorescent protein as a biomarker for sapstain fungi

To understand wood colonization by sapstain fungi and their potential biocontrol agents, it is necessary to differentiate these organisms directly on their natural substrates. In the present study the feasibility of transforming with the green fluorescent protein (GFP), the sapstain fungus Ophiostoma piceae and a potential biocontrol agent Cartapip^®, an Ophiostoma piliferum albino strain was assessed. Transformants of the two fungal species were screened by polymerase chain reaction and Southern blot analyses. The GFP was expressed in spores, synnemata and mycelia of the transformants grown in artificial media or wood. The growth, pigmentation and wood colonization of the transformants were similar to that of the non‐transformants, suggesting that the presence of the gfp gene had no negative effect on the biology of the transformants. Using fluorescence and confocal microscopy, the GFP‐expressing fungi were easily differentiated from the wild‐type strains and other fungal species in wood, even 4 months after inoculation. The results show that the use of the GFP system is feasible to monitor Ophiostoma fungi in wood.     

Biological characteristics of five wood-rotting fungi and wood-decaying ability to Betula platyphylla

In this paper, the growth rate of five wood-rotting fungi, i.e., Coriolus versicolor, Irpex lacteus, Fomes fomentarius, Piptoporus betulinus and Pholiota adiposa, in solid medium and their biomass in liquid culture medium were compared by measuring mycelium length and dry mass. The activity of three main ligninolytic enzymes in those fungi, namely LiP, MnP and Lac, were also tested by colorimetry. At the same time, these fungi were used to decay the wood samples from 300 natural trees of white birch, to study their wood-decaying ability by measuring wood mass loss. The result showed that the growth rate, biomass, ligninolytic enzyme activity, and wood-decaying ability of the fungi were incompletely correlated. The growth rates of C. versicolor and I. lacteus were faster than those of P. betulinus and F. fomentarius; P. adiposa was the slowest in growth. The biomass of P. betulinus was the highest; C. versicolor, I. lacteus and F. fomentarius were in the middle, and P. adiposa was the lowest. There existed LiP, MnP and Lac activities in all fungi except P. betulinus, and the enzyme activities induced by wood powder were all higher than those of the control. The Lac of I. lacteus and the LiP of F. fomentarius and P. adiposa were only expressed in wood powder medium; the longer the fungi were cultured, the higher activity the enzyme had. The decomposition ability of C. versicolor to wood samples was the highest, followed by F. fomentarius and P. betulinus; I. lacteus and P. adiposa were the lowest.     

Antifungal and antitermitic activities of wood vinegar from Vitex pubescens Vahl

Antifungal and antitermitic activities of wood vinegar produced from Vitex pubescens were evaluated. Three kinds of wood vinegar were produced at three different pyrolysis temperatures, i.e. at 350, 400 and 450 °C. A PDA dilution method was employed to assay antifungal activity of the vinegars with a white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor and a brown-rot fungus Fomitopsis palustris. Termiticidal activity and repellent effect were evaluated by a no-choice test and a choice test with Reticulitermes speratus and Coptotermes formosanus. All wood vinegars exhibited antifungal activity against both fungi. Wood vinegar of 450 °C had the higher activity than those of 400 and 350 °C. It was assumed that acid component contributed to the increase in controlling the growth of fungal. The wood vinegar exhibited antitermite activity to both R. speratus and C. formosanus workers in the no-choice experiment. However, it needed relatively high concentration to obtain the perfect mortality. For instance, the wood vinegar of 10 % concentration was needed to achieve 100 % mortality against C. formosanus, whereas for R. speratus only 3 % of wood vinegar was required. In the direct-choice experiment, wood vinegar had a significantly repellent effect to both termites at the lowest treating concentration of 10 %.     

Contribution of active defense responses in the limitation of fungal spread in the sapwood of living sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) tree

The participation of active defense responses in the limitation of fungal spread in the sapwood of living sugi tree was determined. Isolates ofGuignardia cryptomeriae were inoculated to living trees, fresh logs, frozen and thawed logs and autoclaved logs, and the spread of wood discoloration and fungal hyphae was assessed. In autoclaved logs and freeze-treated logs, wood discoloration and reaction zone formation were not observed, and fungal hyphae of both of virulent and avirulent isolates grew rapidly in the wood. In fresh logs, wood discoloration and the formation of a pale reaction zone and transition zone were observed. Virulent isolates spread rapidly, but the spread of avirulent isolates was inhibited. In living trees, wood discoloration was observed and reaction zones were formed at lesion margins. These results indicated that constitutive defense mechanisms had no effect on the spread of both of virulent and avirulent isolates, and that active defense responses were important in the limitation of spread of fungal hyphae, hence in the limitation of wood discoloration. Further, it appeared that avirulent, but not virulent, races ofG. cryptomeriae were easily inhibited even by weak host responses. This study was presented at 105th and 106th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Forestry Society.     

Detection of incipient decay in tree stems with sonic tomography after wounding and fungal inoculation

Picus^® acoustic tomography was used to map incipient stages of fungal decay in the sapwood of standing Douglas fir, beech, oak, and sycamore trees 2, 16, and 27 months after wounding and artificial inoculation with brown-, soft-, and white-rot decay fungi. Some wood properties were additionally measured before (velocity of sound) and after (moisture content, weight loss, and density of sound, discoloured and/or decayed wood) tree felling (28 months). With the exception of Trametes versicolor in sycamore, wood decay was not evident from the tomograms in any host-fungus combination. In comparison to measurements after two months, the device recorded a reduction in sound velocity in some host-fungus combinations after 16 and 27 months. In beech, there was a significant reduction in sound velocity after inoculation with Ganoderma applanatum, Kretzschmaria deusta, and Trametes versicolor. Similarly, a reduction in sound velocity was recorded in sycamore inoculated with Kretzschmaria deusta and Trametes versicolor. In all these combinations, losses in wood weight and wood density were also found. Results showed that the detection of incipient fungal decay at the periphery of tree stems needs to be improved such that tomograms of the Picus^® acoustic tomograph are capable of identifying decay progressing from the sapwood inwards.     

The effects of chemical components and particle size on the mechanical properties of binderless boards made from oak (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Quercus</Emphasis> spp.) logs degraded by shiitake fungi <Emphasis Type="Italic">(Lentinula edodes</Emphasis>)

Binderless boards are composite boards that rely on self-bonding mechanisms for inter-fibre bonding. Quercus acutissima and Quercus serrata logs degraded by Lentinula edodes (shiitake fungi) were used in this study to investigate whether physical and chemical changes induced by shiitake fungi can enhance board mechanical properties. Binderless boards were manufactured with 0.8 g/cm³ target density, 220 °C pressing temperature, 5 MPa pressure, and pressing duration of 10 min. Boards made from logs degraded for ≥?26 months were stronger than control boards and met modulus of rupture (MOR) and internal bonding (IB) requirements for fibreboards. Chemical composition and particle size distribution of the wood powder used to make the boards were determined to elucidate the drivers of board mechanical properties. The proportion of small particles (<?150 µm) showed a strong positive correlation with MOR for both species and hot water extractives showed a strong positive correlation with IB for Q. acutissima boards. Introduction of shiitake fungi pre-treatment to the production process may enhance the mechanical strength of binderless boards.