The evaluation of Agathis wood from densification process to the resistance of Trametes versicolor fungi

Abstract

Most species of wood from community forests have low quality compared to wood from natural forests because it is generally cut down in young years so that it has a high portion of juvenile wood and low durability. One process of improving wood quality is the densification process. The purpose of this research is to determine the resistance to Trametes versicolor fungi from densified wood with initial treatment of soaking on CH3COOH and H2O2 20% solution, borax 3%, and distilled water. Agathis wood boards made of 23 cm x 20 cm x 2.5 cm were densified with a target of 30% thickness reduction, at a temperature of 150 °C for 15 minutes. After the densification process, the test samples were measured and calculated for density and recovery of a set and tested for MOE and MOR and resistance to T.versicolor fungi. The results showed that the three types of treatment, soaking with CH3COOH and H2O2, had a very high weight loss. This situation did not only attack from T.versicolor but also degradation of wood by CH3COOH and H2O2. Th immersion with borax and distilled water only experienced very little weight loss. It shows that T.versicolor fungi less favors the densified Agathis wood.