70 years of wood modification with fungi

Abstract

To obtain special wood properties for various technical applications, fungi with their broad spectrum of activity can make a contribution. The foundations for today's mycological wood modifications were laid by researchers who wanted to increase the yield of edible mushrooms. They noticed the changed properties of the wooden substrate by the progressive wood degradation. Controlled use of fungi and an eye for the technical benefits of mycologically degraded wood revolutionized the fundaments of wood modification, primarily biological. In this context, the so-called Myko-Holz (myco-wood) plays a unique role and influences the current research for pencil wood, tone wood or even spalting.