Rot in stored sandal logs

Abstract

Sandal logs after removal from the natural stands are stored in depots pending sale. During this storage they are heaped in the open, exposed to the elements; consequently the logs are attacked hy a numher of hasidiotnycetous fungi; mainly the attack is on sapwood, rarely heartwood is also affected. In view of the value of sandalwood, it is necessary to protect the logs to prevent deterioration of both sapwood and heartwood.Sandalwood because of its intrinsic value due to the oil obtained from heartwood, is stored in special depots with security measures to ensure safe keeping from theft. Unfortunately no attention is paid to prevent deterioration of the wood by borers and decay fungi. These cause damage to the sapwood and heartwood of sandal to varying extents.Before the billets are stored in lockers at the depots, the dead trees are left in the forest or at best, the logs are piled upon the damp soil littered with decaying plant remains, exposed to temperature and humidity variations, for several months. This provides the ideal conditions for attack of decay organisms like fungi, bacteria, slime molds and insects. The logs are thence removed to sandal depots and piled up again in the open or under shade before being auctioned. The decay fungi require a balance between air and moisture to cause deterioration and this balance is ideally provided by the existing storage practices of sandalwood.The investigations were undertaken to find out the extent of damage, if any, caused by the decay fungi and to suggest prophylactic measures to prevent deterioration by decay during storage. Materials and methodsFungi attacking logs of sandalwood were collected from the natural forests before transportation to the depot; sporophores were also collected from the logs stored in the sandal depots of Sathyamangalam and Salem depots at Tamil Nadu, Cultures were obtained by placing hits of affected wood or sporophores in malt agar medium in petri dishes, later transferred to slants and incubated at room temperature, varying from 28°C to 32°C. Decay tests hy inoculating the fungi into sterile wood blocks for assessing the extent and rapidity of decay are also attempted. The results of these studies would be communicated later.Fungi associated with sandal logs 1. Hexagonia discopoda Pat. et Har. Fungi: Basidiomycetes, Aphyllophorales. This causes brown cubical rot, is a common cause of decay of timber exposed to weather, but can occur as a wound parasite of weak trees, growing in unfavourable localities; dark brown stains U.S.