Control of stain and mold fungi on red alder pallet stock

Abstract

The potential for limiting fungal attack on red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) pallet stock was evaluated in a small-scale field test. Alder is extremely susceptible to biological attack, as evidenced by the nearly complete colonization of nontreated materials within 18 days after cutting. Pallet stock was either dipped or sprayed with 11 different candidate fungicides. Dipping tended to produce better protection than spraying, reflecting the opportunity for greater uptake during the dipping process. Most treatments provided protection for 11 days when applied by dipping, while only four treatments were able to provide protection for the full 30-day test period. The results suggest that chemical protection of alder is possible, but the protective period is much shorter than that found with other wood species.