The aim of this experiment was to determine the significance of the fungal inoculum potential and physico-chemical properties of five field trial test site soils, a garden compost known to cause white rot in copper treated fence palings, and soil from a zone between 2 and 15 centimetres from a CCA treated post with brown rot, in causing differential decay type in Pinus radiata and Poplus deltoides sapwood blocks. Two blocks of each species were buried in non-sterile soil in jars with the upper transverse face level with the soil surface. A block of the same species was placed, with the transverse face upwards, on the top of each buried block. Six replicate jars per soil type were used. A second set of jars containing 90% sterile potting compost and 10% non-sterile soil, for each of the seven types, was set up as described above. Soil moisture content was adjusted to, and maintained at, 30% of the dry weight. Decay type and weight loss was determined for each block after twenty weeks incubation at 25°C. Considerable differences of decay type and weight loss edited between the 100% and 10% soil regimes, soil type, and timber species. These differences and their significance are discussed.

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