Use of fungal metabolites to protect wood-based panels against mould infection

摘要

Wood-based composites such as oriented strand board (OSB) are principle framing elements in building construction in North America. However, these materials are often affected by moulds in wet or humid environmental conditions. A common control method for prevention of mould growth on panels is preservative treatment of panels with various pesticides or chemicals. In recent years, environmentally friendly pest control methods are required because of environmental issue. This research aimed to develop a biological technology to protect OSB against mould infection by post-treatment of panels with natural extracts from fungal antagonists. In this study, the culture metabolites of a fungal antagonist, Phaeotheca dimorphospora DesRochers & Ouellette, were extracted, and the antibiotic activity of the extracts was tested in Petri plates against various moulds and decay fungi. The OSB panels were then dip-treated with the extracts and exposed to a humid environment for mould growth testing in a period of 8 weeks. The results showed that the mycelia growth of all fungi tested (moulds, white-rot and brown-rot fungi) was inhibited by the extracts of P. dimorphospora on agar plates. Panel samples dipped with the fungal extracts in acetone got little mould growth on them, whereas untreated control panels and those samples treated with acetone alone were seriously affected by various moulds.