The area of wood protection is in a period of change. New wood protection systems have been developed while e.g. their mode of action remains insufficiently understood. Most studies on modified wood have concerned service life predictions rather than investigations of wood protection mechanisms in any depth. The development of molecular methods has provided a range of new possibilities. These methods have been widely used on fungi within other fields e.g. taxonomy and evolution. So far relatively few have used these tools within the area of wood deterioration. Access to such knowledge would allow further modification in the application of these products in order to increase the protection they provide. For further development and improvement of new products it is essential to have a more specific understanding of decay initiation and decay processes in new wood protection systems.
This paper presents an overview of DNA-based applications and results that are relevant for wood protection. Studies so far are mostly focused on identification of fungi species (determinations both within and between species), profiling of different fungal communities and creation of phylogenetic trees. DNA-based methods are so far rarely used for identification in connection with quantification. This together with gene expression will provide us with the tools needed to learn more about decay initiation and decay processes in new wood protection systems. This knowledge can then be used to optimize the protection they provide.
Keywords: Molecular methods, DNA, wood protection, PCR, gene expression
Authors
Pilgård A.
Technical Research Institute of Sweden, Building and Machanics, Trätek, Borås, Sweden
Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute, Section Wood Technology, Ås
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