Evaluation of sapwood and heartwood decay resistance after immersion-treatment with pyroligneous liquor

Abstract

To evaluate the resistance of wood to decay caused by fungi, sapwood and heartwood of red pine (Pirtus den-siflora) and sapwood and heartwood of larch (Larix kaempferi) were conducted. Wood samples were immersed for 96 h in pyroligneous liquor. Then, the brown-rot fungus, Fomitopsis palustris, was used to examine the decay resistance of red pine and larch. Weight and density of wood from the all conditions increased after immersion treatment. Weight loss after decay resistance test was also dropped with a immersion treatment. The lowest weight loss indicated at immersion-treated heartwood of larch. Immersion treatment using pyroligneous liquor effectively increased the resistance of wood to decay caused by fungi.