Abstract:
The ability of 15 bacterial and fungal isolates to inhibit fungal stain of ponderosa pine sapwood was studied on small wood samples exposed in a moist environment. Several isolates including Bacillus subtilis were capable of inhibiting fungal stain although the protective effect was lost upon prolonged exposure. More detailed evaluations of two B. subtilis isolates revealed that performance was closely tied to the media on which the organisms were grown prior to wood application, with the optimal growth media appearing also to be associated with the highest degree of stain protection. Further evaluation of B. subtilis 733 A for evidence of production of water-soluble or volatile antibiotics suggested that antibiotics were not present on the wood, although further studies on bioprotectant mechanisms are suggested.
