• Journal of the Korea Furniture Society
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.273-282
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• 2008

Increasing demand for timber and the depletion of natural forest have encouraged utilization of many non-popular species. The understanding of wood properties and behavior is important to evaluate the potential of these species to produce high quality end products. This study determines the anatomical and physical properties of Hevea species viz Hevea pauciflora, Hevea guianensis, Hevea spruceana, Hevea benthamiana and Hevea brasiliensis. Each sample tree was cut into three different portions along the height (bottom- B, middle- M and upper -T parts) and two radial samples (outer- O and inner- I parts). H. brasiliensis clone RRIM 912 exhibited the longest fibre with $1214{\mu}m$, followed by H. benthamiana (HB, $1200{\mu}m$), H. pauciflora (HP, $1189{\mu}m$), H. spruceana (HS, $1158{\mu}m$) and H. guianensis (HG, $1145{\mu}m$). Fibre length has a positive correlation with specific gravity. The largest fibre diameter ($24.9{\mu}m$) and lumen diameter ($12.5{\mu}m$) were recorded in H. guianensis. The highest moisture content was obtained from H. spruceana (64.34%) compared to the lowest with 60.01% (Clone RRIM912). The higher moisture content is normally associated with lower strength. Overall, the properties of clone RRIM 912 is found to be comparatively better because of higher strength due to longer fibre length, thicker cell walls and higher specific gravity than the other Hevea species. Therefore, this species can be used as a general utility timber.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.10-16
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• 2013

Hevea brasiliensis is a natural source of rubber and an important plantation tree species in Malaysia. Leaf blight disease caused by Fusicoccum substantially reduces the growth and performance of H. brasiliensis. The aim of this study was to use a combination of both morphological characteristics and molecular data to clarify the taxonomic position of the fungus associated with leaf blight disease. Fusicoccum species were isolated from infected leaves collected from plantations at 3 widely separated locations - Selangor, Perak, and Johor states - in Peninsular Malaysia in 2010. All the isolates were identified according to their conidial patterns and DNA sequences generated from internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2), the 5.8S rRNA, and an unknown locus (BotF15) containing microsatellite repeats. Based on taxonomic and sequence data, Neofusicoccum ribis was identified as the main cause of leaf blight disease in H. brasiliensis in commercial plantations in Malaysia. A pathogenicity trial on detached leaves further confirmed that N. ribis causes leaf blight disease. N. ribis is an important leaf pathogen, and its detection in Malaysia has important implications for future planting of H. brasiliensis.

• Mycobiology
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.66-75
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• 2019

A new species of Alternaria causing leaf spots on the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) in Yunnan, China, was isolated, examined, and illustrated. Morphologically, it belongs to the section Porri of Alternaria, which produces relatively large conidia and a simple or branched, filamentous long beak. It is, however, characterized by conidiophores gradually enlarging near the apex into a clavate conidiogenous cell and long ellipsoid to obclavate, smoothwalled conidia with a long filamentous beak. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on ITS rDNA, GAPDH, and TEF1-alpha sequences demonstrate that the phytopathogen falls in the clade of the section Porri, being most closely related to A. sidae, A. sennae, A. deseriticola, A. cyamopsidis, A. rostellata, A. nitrimali, A. crassa, and A. thunbergiae.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.458-474
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• 2022

Many methods have been explored to increase the palatability of pine (Pinus merkusii), the most common wood used for termite baiting. However, because of the undersupply of pine in Indonesia, it is crucial to vary the wood species for termite baiting and look for potential alternatives. Furthermore, various studies have shown that baiting time influences the intensity and pattern of termite attacks. Therefore, the present research aimed to study the preferences of subterranean termites and find the ideal baiting time among community wood species from Bogor, West Java, as a baiting alternative to pine. The woods tested were Acacia mangium (acacia), Falcataria moluccana (sengon), Anthocephalus cadamba (jabon), Maesopsis eminii (manii), Swietenia mahagoni (mahogany), Hevea brasiliensis (rubberwood), and P. merkusii (pine). Field tests were carried out based on the American Society for Testing and Materials D 1758-06 at the Arboretum, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, IPB University, with a baiting time of one to six months. The results led to the identification of four species of termites, namely Microtermes sp., Macrotermes sp., Shedorhinotermes sp., and Capritermes sp.. The frequency of termite attacks on the test site reached 93.1%. Rubberwood was the most potential wood bait for subterranean termites, indicated by the highest average weight loss value (65.8%) with a shorter optimal baiting time (up to one month) than that of other tested woods.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.70-86
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• 2024

Termites are a serious threat to wood-based products in Indonesia. This study investigated the termite resistant property of glulam made from polystyrene-modified wood. Three tropical fast-growing wood species, namely mangium (Acacia mangium), manii (Maesopsis eminii), and rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis), were prepared for flat-sawn laminae. After getting air-dried condition, the laminae were impregnated with polystyrene using potassium peroxydisulphate as a catalyst followed by polymerization at 80℃. Polystyrene-impregnated and control glued-laminated lumbers (glulams) were manufactured, and solid wood was provided. Three wood species and three wood products with six replicates were exposed in a field in Bogor, Indonesia, for four months, and before the tests, their density and moisture content were measured. At the end of the field tests, the weight loss and protection levels of each test sample were determined. A completely randomized factorial design was used for data analysis. The weight percentage gains for mangium, manii, and rubberwood were 22.30%, 18.22%, and 10.44%, respectively. The results showed that manii belonged to low-density wood, whereas the other two woods were medium-density wood, and the moisture content was the ambient moisture content, typical of the Bogor area. Regarding weight loss and protection level, mangium was the most durable against subterranean termite attacks, followed by rubberwood and manii. Among the wood products, the polystyrene-impregnated glulam presented the highest durability, followed by the control glulam and solid wood. Therefore, mangium and rubberwood polystyrene-impregnated glulams are recommended for future product development.