The role of pre-infection of green Douglas-fir lumber in aboveground decay in structures in California
1997
Dietz, M. | Wilcox, W.W.
Limited information is available on the decay fungi present aboveground in structures and there are no known U.S. studies of decay present in green, Douglas-fir construction lumber obtainable from retail lumber inventories. In order to answer the question of whether aboveground decay in California structures may be a result of fungal invasion before or after building construction and identify practical control measures, baseline information was obtained on the types and distributions of wood-rotting fungi in these materials. Ten fungi were isolated and identified from decay in green, Douglas-fir lumber, including two white-rotting fungi. The fungi isolated most frequently from lumber were Antrodia carbonica, Antrodia vaillantii, Gloeophyllum trabeum, and Postia placenta. Antrodia carbonica and Postia placenta are frequent colonizers of air-seasoned Douglas-fir poles in the Pacific Northwest and might be expected to colonize green, unprotected lumber at mills and storage facilities. The same four fungi were isolated most frequently from aboveground decay in structures along with Gloeophyllum sepiariam. Direct similarities between the decay fungi isolated from buildings and those isolated from commercially available construction lumber make it probable that a large amount of decay in California structures stems from the use of pre-infected green lumber in construction. Kiln-drying and subsequent proper handling would ensure the greatest amount of protection against infected lumber.
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