Polyclonal antisera have been raised against the brown rot fungus Lentinus lepideus, a major cause of rot induced pole failure in the UK. Specificity studies have indicated that the antisera cross-react with a number of basidiomycetes but to much lesser extent with other fungi. The antigenicity of Lentinus lepideus and hence its molecular composition shows some alteration with culture age and change of substrate. Wood block decay experiments have indicated that dot-immunobinding assays based on the antisera can detect the presence of Lentinus lepideus in conditions of minimal weight loss, an initial field trial has indicated that cross-reacting antigens can be detected in artificially inoculated distribution pole stubs. These and other aspecta of the antigenicity and immunodetection of Lentinus lepideus are discussed in this paper.

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