Stain fungi control on rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg.) by vacuum-pressure treatment with catechin from gambir (Uncaria gambir Roxb.) Mohamad Miftah Rahman (a), Dodi Nandika (a*), Elis Nina Herliyana (b), Arinana (a), Yusuf Sudo Hadi (a), Musrizal Muin (c)
a) Department of Forest Products, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, IPB University, Darmaga Campus, Bogor 16680 West Java, Indonesia
* dodina[at]apps.ipb.ac.id
b)Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, IPB University, Darmaga Campus, Bogor 16680 West Java, Indonesia
c) Forestry Department, Faculty of Forestry, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, 90245, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
Abstract
Recently, the morphological and molecular features of five stain fungi infecting rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) including Aspergillus chevalieri has been studied. Prior to the study, the authors revealed that catechin from gambir (Uncaria gambir) demonstrated the ability to inhibit the growth of a white-rot fungi Schizophyllum commune and it is important to determine the bioactivity of aforementioned agent against A. chevalieri. The efficacy of the biocidal agent was examined using laboratory wood block test. Rubberwood blocks were impregnated with catechin solution at concentration of 6%, 9%, 12%, and 15% (w/v) by the vacuum-pressure method, and their bioactivity was monitored over three weeks through visual assessment of the fungal growth as well as discoloration intensity of the wood samples. The results showed that catechin treatment seems to increase the resistance on the wood samples against A. chevalieri. Overall, the higher concentration of catechin, the lower the fungal growth. The lowest fungal growth was presented by 12% and 15% catechin treated wood samples (score 0), which demonstrated no discoloration. In contrast, fungal growth score in untreated wood samples were reached 4 which demonstrated severe discoloration. It appears that catechin could be considered as an adequately biofungicide against the action of stain fungi on rubberwood.
