PHYSICAL, MORPHOLOGICAL PROPERTIES AND RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY OF CHESTNUT BLIGHT DISEASED CASTANEA SATIVA MILL. WOOD

Gokhan Gunduz,Ali Savas Bulbul,Deniz Aydemir,Barbaros Yaman,Mehmet Akyuz,Mehmet Ali Oral,Nejla Asik,Surhay Allahverdiyev

doi:10.1590/01047760201622012101

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this study, some of the physical and anatomical properties of Chestnut Blight Diseased (CBD) wood were investigated, and the study also included observations using Raman spectroscopy. The objective of these investigations was to determine the extent of the damage that is done to the wood of the diseased chestnut trees, which must be removed from the forest and used in the manufacture of industrial products. It was indicated that most of the adverse effects of the disease were in the vascular cambium. There was a clear indication of deterioration of the wood in the last growth ring next to vascular cambium. In the diseased secondary xylem region next to vascular cambium; vessel diameter, vessel frequency and vessel element length had a decrease, and vessel and other cells were irregular compared to healthy wood. Spores were detected and identified as Cryphonectria parasitica (Murrill). Annual ring properties (annual growth ring width, latewood percentage, etc.) were similar in diseased wood compared to healthy wood. The Raman spectroscopy results showed no significant changes in the structure of the cell wall or its components. After removing the diseased parts, unlimited usage of formerly wood is possible. Heat treatment of the wood is suggested before use in the interest of sanitation and dimensional stability.

Highlights

Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) trees are generally distributed in the southern part of Europe, East Asia, Europe, and eastern North America, and they have been an important resource due to their vital nutritional, cultural, and economic importance for thousands of years
This is the first detailed study that has been conducted on Cryphonectria parasitica (Murrill) diseased Anatolian Chestnut trees
The SEM analysis showed that the cell structure changed in the vascular cambium and secondary xylem of the diseased tree

Summary

Introduction

Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) trees are generally distributed in the southern part of Europe, East Asia, Europe, and eastern North America, and they have been an important resource due to their vital nutritional, cultural, and economic importance for thousands of years. Chestnut wood is used for many applications, such as the construction of buildings and wooden furniture, shipbuilding, timbers, and musical instruments. This important tree species was used extensively until the ocoruence of the fatal disease chestnut blight (CBD) caused by Cryphonectria parasitica (Murrill), which was first observed in the United States. In 1938, the deadly fungus was observed for the first time in Europe, and it spread rapidly all over Italy and surrounding countries, becoming one of the major pathogens that attacked chestnut trees and leading to serious damage to European forests (Anagnostakis 1987; Robin and Heiniger 2001).

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