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Decomposition of Wood by Brown-Rot Fungi

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Biodeterioration Research 2

Abstract

Many different types of organisms deteriorate wood, but the greatest damage is microbial decay caused by fungi (Figures 1 and 2). Fungal decay is by far the most serious type of damage to wood in use, because it can cause structural failure that, at times, is very rapid. It is virtually impossible to accurately assess the monetary loss caused by decay that destroys wood products or impairs their aesthetic qualities because records are rarely kept. Treatments are available that can either prevent or retard the destructive action of decay. Nevertheless, it is estimated that annual losses of over $1 billion in the United States result from fungal deterioration of untreated or inadequately treated wood.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, USDA, One Gifford Pinchot Drive, Madison, WI, 53705-2398, USA

    Barbara L. Illman & Terry L. Highley

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  1. Barbara L. Illman
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  2. Terry L. Highley
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. George Washington University, Washington, D.C., USA

    Charles E. O’Rear

  2. Virginia Department of Health, Richmond, Virginia, USA

    Gerald C. Llewellyn

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© 1989 Plenum Press, New York

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Illman, B.L., Highley, T.L. (1989). Decomposition of Wood by Brown-Rot Fungi. In: O’Rear, C.E., Llewellyn, G.C. (eds) Biodeterioration Research 2. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-5670-7_40

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-5670-7_40

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