Distribution of water soluble substances in green wood and later redistribution during drying is of importance for the colonisation of wood by microorganisms. According to literature the availability of nitrogenous materials is probably a major limiting factor to the microbial colonisation of wood. King et al. (1974) and Oxley et al. (1976) have shown correlation between surface nutrient concentration and the degree of invasion by soft rot fungi. Although the effects of some factors on the susceptibility of wood to mould have been studied (Land 1986, Hallenberg and Gilert 1987, Bjurman 1989a, b), the effect of the drying treatment was not considered. In the study by Theander et al. (1993) it has been indicated that the growth of the mould fungi Penicillium brevicompactum and Aspergillus versicolor is positively correlated with the content of nitrogen and low-molecular carbohydrates. Kiln and air drying cause redistribution of the soluble sugars and nitrogen in different ways and the effect of kiln drying varies depending on the drying schedule (Terziev et al. 1993, Terziev 1994). The major goal of the present study was to investigate whether different drying treatments of wood (causing different redistribution of low-molecular sugars and nitrogen) create different susceptibility for mould growth. The material for the moulding tests was from the above mentioned studies of Terziev et al. (1993) and Terziev (1994). Thus, drying history and contents of soluble sugars and nitrogen were known for the test material. No data were found in the literature about mould growth after different drying treatments. The present experiment is to be considered as a preliminary study.

Download document (276 kb)
free for the members of IRG. Available if purchased.

Purchase this document