Gamma radiation, as an easy, fast and effective sterilisation method, changes molecular structure in pest’s living cells, but also in wooden cell walls. Radiation-induced depolymerisation causes significant changes in wood properties crucial for laboratory testing of wood-preservative effectiveness. Natural durability of wood against rot fungi in lab conditions dependency on different sterilisation method was researched and the data presented. In the research, white rot fungus Trametes versicolor (L.: Fr.) Pilat. and brown rot fungus Gloeophyllum trabeum (Pers.: Fr.) were tested on the Scots pine. Cobalt 60Co was used as a gamma radiation source at the dosage of 30 kGy. Control non-irradiated specimens were sterilised by autoclaving. Statistically significant differences in mass loss between gamma irradiated and autoclaved specimens have been established after 8 weeks of exposure to fungus G. trabeum. Irradiated specimens had greater mass loss. During further exposure, the differences decreased and became insignificant. On the other hand, during all time of exposure to fungus T. versicolor, no significant differences in mass loss between irradiated and autoclaved specimens were determined.

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