Degradation of some technological features in the wood of ornamental species caused by Inonotus rickii (Pat.) Reid

Abstract

Inonotus rickii (Pat.) Reid is a pathogenic wood-de caying fungus that causes severe decay in several ornamental urban trees in Eu rope. It has been known to occur on different hosts in Sicily (Italy) since 1985, and in Rome (Italy) since 2003. Some physical and mechanical wood features were stud ied according to the standards in order to propose an investigation metho dology to set a deterioration ranking of urban trees. In this phase of the study, Celtis australis L., Acer negundo L., Acer campestre L., Robinia pseudoacacia L., Til ia ◊ vulgaris Hayne, Ulmus minor Mill., Platanus ◊ acerifolia (Aiton) Willd. an d Quercus ilex L. were studied. The data were analyzed using ANOVA and M-ANOVA tests to check the differences among the specimens. A risk matrix was cre ated in order to combine the features that showed statistical differences be tween the control specimens and the inoculated specimens, in order to establish, in vitro, a degradation ranking among the wood species. The wood species which showed no in vitro durabilit y to I. rickii, were the same ones that displayed susceptibility in the living trees.