Abstract
Discoloration tests with wood meal and wood extracts showed that red heart of white birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.) is the result of an enzymatic oxidation. Pyrocatechol, coniferyl alcohol, pyrogallol, and catechin, compounds found to be substrates for the staining process, were identified by thin-layer chromatography and ultraviolet spectrophotometry. Evidence was obtained that pyrocatechol, coniferyl alcohol, and pyrogallol are present in the heartwood as glycosides, whereas catechin occurs as a free compound. The reddish-brown stain of the wood is due to the oxidation products of the phenols involved.Fungi associated with red heart are the main producers of phenol oxidases which catalyze the discoloration process. The ability of Trichocladium canadense Hughes (=Torula ligniperda (Willk.) Sacc.) to cause red heart in white birch is questioned.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
