Isolation and characterization of mold fungi and insects infecting sawmill wood, and their inhibition by gamma radiation

• Study found new fungus Fusarium proliferatum infecting wood first time from India.
• Chemicals and gamma radiation found to be very effective to inhibit fungi and insect.
• Gamma radiation at 10 kGy dose was suitable for control of insect and fungi.
• There was increase incidence of insect and fungi at higher dose of 50 kGy.
• SEM showed no effect of radiation on wood at 10 kGy dose.

This article describes the isolation, identification, and characterization of wood-rotting fungi and insects, and their inhibition was studied using gamma radiation. Products manufactured from plantation timber species are deteriorated by wood-rotting fungi such as Hypocrea lixii, Fusarium proliferatum, and Aspergillus flavus, and insects such as powderpost beetles. Proper preservation methods are necessary for ensuring a long service life of wood products. In this study, wood samples were treated with 2.5% copper ethanolamine boron (CEB) (10% w/v) and subsequently irradiated with gamma rays (10 kGy). It was observed that CEB-treated and gamma-irradiated samples controlled fungi and powderpost beetles significantly. As wood is a dead organic material, penetration of chemicals into it is very difficult. Gamma rays easily pass through wooden objects with hidden eggs and dormant spores of insects and fungi, respectively. Gamma irradiation was proved very effective in reducing damage caused by both fungi and insects.