• Mycobiology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.138-146
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• 2018

Two-hundred and fifty-five strains of actinomycetes isolated from soil samples were screened for their antagonistic activities against four well-known wood decay fungi (WDF), including a brown rot fungus, Gloeophyllum trabeum and three white rot fungi Donkioporia expansa, Trametes versicolor, and Schizophyllum commune. A dual culture assay using culture media supplemented with heated or unheated culture filtrates of selected bacterial strains was used for the detection of their antimicrobial activity against four WDF. It was shown that Streptomyces atratus, S. tsukiyonensis, and Streptomyces sp. greatly inhibited the mycelial growth of the WDF tested compared with the control. To evaluate the biocontrol efficacy of S. atratus, S. tsukiyonensis, and Streptomyces sp., wood blocks of Pinus densiflora inoculated with three selected Streptomyces isolates were tested for weight loss, compression strength (perpendicular or parallel to the grain), bending strength, and chemical component changes. Of these three isolates used, Streptomyces sp. exhibited higher inhibitory activity against WDF, especially G. trabeum, as observed in mechanical and chemical change analyses. Scanning electron microscopy showed that cell walls of the wood block treated with Streptomyces strains were thicker and collapsed to a lesser extent than those of the non-treated control. Taken together, our findings indicate that Streptomyces sp. exhibits the potential to be used as a biocontrol agent for wood decay brown rot fungus that causes severe damage to coniferous woods.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to develop soil conditioner using wood decay fungus. The effect of soil conditioner treated with SJ-28 fungus was tested by lettuce cultivation. Cultivating efficiency was investigated by the yield of lettuce. In the plot of soil conditioner treated with SJ-28 fungus (FPG) showed weight of lettuce leaves 4425 g of total yield which was greater than 2434 g shown in the control. Also the numbers of actinomyces and fungi were increased in the plot of soil conditioner treated with SJ-28 fungus (FPG), beneficial for soil. The number of bacteria showed decrease in FPG plot. FPG showed possibility as a soil conditioner.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.544-558
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• 2017

The objective of this research is to investigate preservative efficacy for refractory species in field tests. The field tests were set up to evaluate the preservative performance of western hemlock and white spruce preservative-treated to the residential products group C and D of Canadian standard (CSA O80 Series-08) that have been developed for residential use in above-ground and ground-contact conditions, respectively. They were incised and pressure-treated with alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ) or copper azole (CA). Treated samples for the ground contact stake test and ground proximity test were installed in Jinju, Korea on November 2010 according to AWPA E7-09 and AWPA E18-06, respectively. Each sample has been annually assigned ratings for decay and termite attack, based on AWPA E7 grading system. After six years and five months of exposure, the untreated samples showed decay and particularly severe damage by termite attack but all the preservative-treated samples showed no decay. The results showed that the 5-mm penetration depths may be applicable for the treatment of refractory species. This paper discusses what to consider for the use of refractory species in Korean wood preservation industry from the penetration and retention points of view.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.51-63
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• 2007

The biodeterioration behaviors of wooden parts in the Janggeongpanjeon built in 15 century were investigated according to the types of wood species, positions and parts of wooden column, and environmental conditions. It was found that a high differences of deterioration in the progressing levels of wood decay, according to the types of wood species, positions and parts of wooden column, and environmental conditions. The decay levels were high in the contacted areas with stone foundation which are about up to 8~40 cm above it, although it was shown the many of wooden parts of the round columns are still good condition. In the case of decay type, it was shown the brown-rot in many of the columns at outside of building which made of hardwoods. The decay in position of the columns was most serious in the directions of east-north, west-north and north. It was also indicated that the durability of Zelkova serrata was higher than other wood species of the round columns, while it was in inferior anti-insects.

• Journal of the Korea Furniture Society
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.274-285
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• 2015

Wood carving has been extremely widely practiced, but survives much less well than the other main materials, being vulnerable to decay, insect damage, and fire. It therefore forms an important hidden element in the art history of many cultures. Even though wood is less durable than either steel or stone, it has been used for a long time due to its usefulness. Wood has a lot of benefits. So people have used wood for materials in houses, trains, cars, bridges, and simple utilities in their ways according to their own religions, climates, and environment they are living in. Nowadays, there are wood products that are made up for its weaknesses and this has made wood be used in variety fields. Moreover, wood has been widely selected materials for sculptures, interior, and also for architecture thanks to its colors and textures. Wood has helped our life more abundant and beautiful.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.52-62
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• 2009

This research was carried out to formulate environmentally friendly wood preservatives with okara and to investigate the effects of the acid concentration used for the hydrolysis of okara and salt type on the decay resistance of the preservatives. Okara-based preservatives were formulated with okara hydrolyzates, which were prepared with 0, 1%, and 2% sulfuric acid at $25^{\circ}C$ for 1 hr, and salts such as copper chloride and/or sodium borate. The preservatives were treated into wood blocks by vacuum-pressure method, and then the treated wood blocks were leached in $70^{\circ}C$ hot water for 72 hrs. The fungal treatments of the leached wood blocks were conducted by brown-rot fungus, Tyromyces palustris, and white-rot fungus, Trametes versicolor, to examine the decay resistance of the preservatives. As the acid concentration used for hydrolysis of okara increased, the treat-ability and decay resistance of the preservatives were improved, which the leachability was decreased. Wood blocks treated with the okara/copper or okara/copper/borax, showed very good decay resistance against T. palustris and T. versicolor. However, wood blocks treated with the okara/borax and okara-free preservative solutions, were observed the fungal decay by T. palustris. The optimal conditions for the preparation of okara-based wood preservatives were formulated with okara hydrolyzed with 1% sulfuric acid, copper chloride and borax.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.68-77
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• 2006

The heartwood of cengal (Neobalanocarpus heimii) is known to have a high degree of decay resistance by virtue of its high extractive content. After 30 years in ground contact an utility pole of this tropical hardwood was found to be degraded only in the surface layers by cavity-forming soft rot fungi. The present work was undertaken 1) to characterize the degradation of cengal heartwood from the aspect of ultrastructure and chemistry and 2) to investigate the correlation between soft rot decay and its extractive microdistribution in wood tissues. The chemical analysis of cengal heartwood revealed the presence of a high amount of extractives as well as lignin. The wood contained a relatively high amount of condensed lignin and the guaiacyl units. Microscopic observations revealed that vessels, fibers and parenchyma cells (both ray and axial parenchyma) all contained extractives in their lumina, but in variable amounts. The lumina of fibers and most axial parenchyma were completely or almost completely filled with the extractives. TEM micrographs showed that cell walls were also impregnated with extractives and that pit membranes connecting parenchyma cells were well coated and impregnated with extractives. However, fungal hyphae were present in the extractive masses localized in cell lumina, and indications were that the extractives did not completely inhibit fungal growth. The extent of cell wall degradation varied with tissue types. The fibers appeared to be more susceptible to decay than vessels and parenchyma. Middle lamella was the only cell wall region which remained intact in all cell types which were severely degraded. The microscopic observations suggested a close correlation between extractive microdistribution and the pattern and extent of cell wall degradation. In addition to the toxicity to fungi, the physical constraint of the extractive material present in cengal heartwood cells is likely to have a profound effect on the growth and path of invasion of colonizing fungi, thus conferring protection to wood by restricting fungal entry into cell walls. The presence of relatively high amount of condensed lignin is also likely to be a factor in the resistance of cengal heartwood to soft rot decay.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.30-35
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• 2008

Degradation of mechanical properties of fire-killed Korean red pine has been investigated after death in 5 years period. Impact bending absorbed energy was the most sensitive property by elapsed time after forest fire. It is an indication of incipient decay of the wood and can be useful indicator to monitor any change of mechanical property of fire-killed tree after death. Degradation of mechanical properties was more pronounced in sapwood than heartwood. Impact bending absorbed energy was more reduced than any other properties in both sapwood and heartwood, while compressive strength was least impacted by elapsed time after forest fire. It is recommended that the fire-killed Korean red pine can be harvested in one year after the fire for industrial uses by considering decay and consequent changes of mechanical properties.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.753-761
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• 2017

The heartwood (HW) of Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) has usually a reddish color. But some trees have black-colored heartwood (BHW). BHW of Japanese cedar has a low commercial value because of the appearance. Therefore, in this study, a comparative analysis was conducted to evaluate the differences in the physical, mechanical, and inorganic element properties, and decay resistance of red-colored heartwood tree (RHW) and BHW. The physical properties showed significant difference between sapwood (SW) and HW, but there was no significant difference between RHW and BHW. From the results of mechanical properties, no significant difference was recognized in SW of RHW, HW of RHW, SW of BHW, and HW of BHW. There were decay resistance differences between RHW and BHW in HW, and between HW and SW in both RHW and BHW, respectively. The magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), and calcium (Ca) contents had significant differences between SW and HW in both RHW and BHW. In this present study, the decay resistances and the contents of Mg and K were higher in HW than in SW both for RHW and BHW, while these measurements were lower in RHW than in BHW. Therefore, BHW was considered to be worthy as a high-quality material as RHW.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.576-582
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• 2013

To obtain the basic information on wood preservative process using copper, the penetration ACQ-2 preservative agent into Douglas fir wood and its degradational characteristics were investigated. Douglas fir is known to be difficult for preservative agent injection. To find the hindrance factor of the preservatives movement, the ray height, ray density, and length of tracheid were measured and observed by a stereoscopic microscope and scanning electron microscope. The results were compared in the well-penetrated parts of preservatives and insufficient parts. There were no significant differences in height, length, and density between both parts, except for the pits of the wood elements observed in SEM micrograph. More declosed pits were found in the well-penetrated parts of preservatives. Decay characteristics of wood specimen treated with various ACQ concentrations by brown-rot fungi was observed by an optical microscope. The decayed properties of tracheid, rays, and resin canals was found in the non-treated wood specimens and it was also found that some extent of preservatives concentration is necessary to protect the decay.