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Full Length Research Paper
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Biodegrading effects of
some rot fungi on Pinus caribaea wood
Emerhi, E. A., Ekeke, B. A. and Oyebade, B. A.*
Department of Forestry and Environment, Rivers State
University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt,
Nigeria.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
oyebadeb@yahoo.com,
bukkibadef@yahoo.com.
Accepted 6 March, 2008 |
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Abstract |
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Wood samples were
collected from a ten-year old plantation of Pinus
caribaea (morelet) in Ijaiye Forest Reserve, 38 km
northwest of Ibadan, Nigeria. The wood samples were
inoculated separately with two species of white-rot fungi;
Corioliopsis polyzona and Pleurotus squarrosulus,
and two species of brown-rot fungi; Lentinus lepideus
and Gleophyllum, striatum. Wood weight loss due to
biodegradation varied from 1.5 – 48.1% for Corioliopsis
polyzona, 9.6 – 58.0% for Pleurotus squarrosulus,
40.4 – 78.1% for Lentinus lepideus and 6.8 – 49.2%
for Gleophyllum striatum degrading activities.
The mode of wood degradation was peculiar with each fungus.
Wood decay varied along the tree bole but was not related to
height above the ground. The results indicated that
biodegradation by rot fungi differs in intensity according
to the fungus species and this suggested that preservative
impregnation and retention may be the best way to control
the rots to make P. caribaea a utility wood.
Key words:
Pinus caribaea, wood decay, wood preservation. |
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