Influence of temperature on soft rot capability of fungi isolated from preservative treated southern pine pinus taeda utility poles
Morrell, J.J.; Zabel, R.A.
Material und Organismen 25(2): 81-86
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0025-5270
Accession: 007459929
Soft rot evaluations are generally performed on isolates incubated at 28-32.degree. C, temperatures that are higher than those found in the environments where many of these fungi occur. This increases the possibility of overlooking potential soft rot fungi in screening tests. Measuring the loss of wood weight produced by seven species of fungi [Phialophora sp., P. fastigiata, P. heteromorpha, Chaetomium globosum, Phialocephala dimorphospora, Alternaria alternata and Cladosporium resinae] isolated from preservative-treated poles of southern pine and incubated at 20, 24, 28, or 32.degree. C showed that optimal loss occurred at different temperatures for different species. Strict adherence to an elevated-temperature regime for testing would have failed to detect two of the seven species. Our results suggest that at least two incubation temperatures are warranted when evaluating soft rot fungi.