The use of kapok fibres for enrichment cultures of lignocellulose-degrading bacteria

Experiments in which solid pine wood and kapok fibres were incubated with mixed bacterial consortia containing erosion or tunnelling bacteria demonstrated that evidence of bacterial attack could be seen much earlier in the kapok fibres. Kapok fibres are lignified and therefore show a chemical resemblance to wood fibres. Preparation of wood sections for microscopy is rather time-consuming, whereas kapok fibres can be observed easily without sectioning. We have explored in this paper the possibility of using kapok fibres for enrichment or purification of wood-degrading bacteria.