Rubber trees were introduced into the Malay Peninsula more than a century ago. The normal economical lifespan of a rubber tree is about 25 years, and, traditionally, rubberwood was used as fi rewood by the rural community. In recent decades, rubberwood has become an important timber for wood products, particularly in the furniture manufacturing sector, due to its attractive features, cream color, and good working properties. Sapstain, mold, and wooddecaying fungi are serious threats to rubberwood. Conventional chemical control has been a successful method of preventing staining fungal growth, but the effects of these chemicals are of concern because they create problems for the environment and public health. Thus, biological control has been recognized as an alternative approach to the problem. This article reviews the properties, potential utilization, and problems of protecting rubberwood against sapstain, mold, and wood-decaying fungi, and discusses the treatment methods available. Advances in biological control, particularly biofungicides, are emphasized as an alternative method for rubberwood treatment.

Improper management of lignocellulosic biomass generated from agricultural activities would lead to serious environmental problems. Pyrolysis offers a simple yet efficient alternative technique where Pyroligneous acid (PA) is a major by-product obtained during slow pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass. In this study, the potential anti-termites and anti-fungal properties for PA obtained from the pyrolysis of pineapple waste biomass were investigated. PA from pineapple waste biomass showed insignificant inhibition properties against both Pycnoporus sanguineus and Coriolus versicolor, but were successful in inhibiting the growth of both Aspergillus niger and Botryodiplodia theobromae for 7 days when applied at 70% (v/v) and 100% (v/v) concentrations. PA also exhibited good anti-termites properties based on the 100% mortality of Coptotermes curvignathus after one week incubation. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of phenolic compounds and phenol with ortho substituents such as 2,6-dimethoxyphenol and 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol. Both compounds have been reported to play an important role in termiticidal activity from previous studies. This study indicates that PA from pineapple waste can act as antifungal and antitermite agents but not as anti-wood decaying fungi. This result can be used as a good preliminary indication for future application of PA from pineapple waste biomass as wood preservative.

Two statistical tools, Plackett-Burman design (PBD) and Box-Behnken design (BBD) were used to optimize the mycelia growth of Schizophyllum commune with different nutrient components. Results showed that 32.92 g/L of biomass were produced using a medium consisting of 18.74 g/L yeast extract, 38.65 g/L glucose, and 0.59 g/L MgSO(4).7H(2)O. The experimental data fitted well with the model predicted values within 0.09 to 0.77% error. The biomass was also tested for antifungal activity against wood degrading fungi of rubberwood. Results showed that the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for antifungal activity range from 0.16 to 5.00 μg/μL. The GC-MS analysis indicated that this fungus produced several compounds, such as glycerin, 2(3H)-furanone, 5-heptyldihydro-, 4H-pyran-4-one, 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-, and triacetin.

Wood-decaying fungi present a serious threat to items made from rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis). Though conventional chemical control has been a successful method for preserving wood against stain and decay fungi growth, the effects of these chemicals are of concern because they create problems for the environment and public health. Pycnoporus sanguineus (P. sanguineus), is a white-rot fungus that invades wood during its growth, storage, or use, causing decay or other property changes. It was considered in this work as a potential source of bioactive compounds and investigated for its natural antifungal activity using a minimum inhibitory concentration assay against wood-degrading fungi. It was found that media consisting of 10.0 g/L malt extract, yeast extract, dextrose, and maltose, respectively at pH 4.7±0.2 provided the highest biomass production by P. sanguineus. Results showed that the antifungal properties of methanol and water extract of P. sanguineus mycelia and supernatant ranged from MIC values of 0.1 to 5.0 µg/µL. 4H-Pyran-4-one,2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl- (DDMP) was found to be the major component in the extract of this fungus, based on analysis using gas chromatography – mass spectrometry.

White root disease caused by Rigidoporus microporus is the most devastating disease in majority of the rubber growing countries, including Malaysia. This study aimed to screen and decipher the mechanisms involved in the biocontrol agents responsible for the inhibition of R. microporus. Among 16 fungal isolates, Trichoderma spp. showed promising results with the highest percent of inhibition shown by Trichoderma asperellum (80.54%). Scanning electron microscopy study revealed coiling of hyphae by Trichoderma species against R. microporus. T. asperellum has demonstrated a maximum inhibition in both volatile and non-volatile metabolite tests with its 75% culture filtrate on PDA plate was observed to cause abnormal morphological character in R. microporus. All Trichoderma species were shown to produce hydrolytic enzymes (chitinase, cellulase and β-1,3-glucanase) and they were active siderophore producers. Present study demonstrated the possible mechanisms involved and responsible for successful inhibition of R. microporus under in vitro condition especially by T. asperellum.