School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences

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Stain development in Victorian hardwoods

Snow, Joely Alison ( 1996)

Fungal stain in value added hardwood has resulted in the loss of millions of dollars in downgraded timber over the past few years in Victoria (Vinden 1994). The causes of fungal stain in Victorian hardwoods, particularly Eucalyptus regnans and Eucalyptus delegatensis, were determined at J.L. Gould Sawmill in Alexandra, Victoria. Systematic sampling of the logs in the log pile under sprinklers revealed a complex ecological niche of fungi, many of which are capable of causing stain. Further studies on logs with incipient decay identified Penicillium glabra as the fungus potentially responsible for the yellow stain and Ophiostoma sp. as the fungus potentially responsible for the black stain. A mill audit pinpointed areas in the processing procedure in need of improvement. Log storage times must be radically reduced and storage facilities must be improved to provide an environment that does not encourage fungal growth. A study concentrating on the moisture content of logs in the log pile also revealed the need for an improved water sprinkling system. Proposals to counter the stain problem include improving control measures, implementation prophylactic treatment after log sawing, and further research into biological control in the log pile.