Characteristics of ten tropical hardwoods from certified forests in Bolivia. Part II, Natural durability to decay fungi

Regis B. Miller; Alex C. Wiedenhoeft; R. Sam Williams; Willy Stockman; Frederick Green

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Characteristics of ten tropical hardwoods from certified forests in Bolivia. Part II, Natural durability to decay fungi

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Regis B. Miller, Alex C. Wiedenhoeft, R. Sam Williams, Willy Stockman, Frederick Green

Year:

2003

Type:

Miscellaneous Publication

Station:

Forest Products Laboratory

Source:

Wood and fiber science. Vol. 35, no. 3 (2003): Pages 429-433

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Abstract

The natural durability of 10 lesser known, commercially available Bolivian hardwoods to decay fungi was evaluated using a modified ASTM soil-block analysis for 12 weeks. The blocks were then retested for an additional 12 weeks to determine their level of decay resistance, as determined by percentage of weight loss. Astronium urundeuva, Caesalpinia cf. pluviosa, Schinopsis quebrachocolorado, and Tabebuia sp. (lapacho group) were found to be highly resistant to decay; Amburana cearensis, Anadenanthera colubrina (syn: A. macrocarpa), Aspidosperma cylindrocarpon, Diplotropis purpurea, and Guibourtia chodatiana, resistant to decay; and Phyllostylon rhamnoides, moderately resistant to decay. We conclude that an extended soil-bottle test is an effective tool for assessing the level of natural durability of these and other tropical species.

Keywords

Natural durability, soil-block test, tropical hardwoods

Citation

Miller, Regis B.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Williams, R. Sam; Stockman, Willy; Green, Frederick. 2003. Characteristics of ten tropical hardwoods from certified forests in Bolivia. Part II, Natural durability to decay fungi. Wood and fiber science. Vol. 35, no. 3 (2003): Pages 429-433