Heartwood extractives of hardwood species as preservatives in Pinus caribaea Morelet wood

Abstract

The performance of heartwood extracts of three durable hardwood species Handroanthus serratifolius Centrolobium paraense y Tectona grandis on brown and white rotter fungi were investigated. Extract dosages were 0.2 % 1 % y 2 % (w/v). Treated blocks were exposed to G. trabeum and T. versicolor attack for 16 weeks by the soil block method using the procedure set out in ASTM D 1413. Only extract solutions of 1 % and 2 % were found more efficient in suppressing fungal attack. The extract of H. serratifolius was more effective, followed by C. paraense and with more subtle but effective effects with T. grandis. The results showed that the secondary metabolites of the heartwood are an important source of bioactive molecules for the treatment of less resistant woods such as P. caribaea.