Resistance of preservative treated mahogany wood to subterranean termite attack

Abstract

Mahogany wood (Swietenia sp.), which is mostly used for furniture production in the Jepara (Central Java), a center of wood furniture production in Indonesia, was harvested from plantation and community forests. The trees were cut at 8–15 years of age and contained a large percentage of juvenile wood. This wood is very susceptible to attack by biodeterioration organisms, and preservatives are used to increase its durability. To evaluate the effectiveness of preservatives applied at three furniture factories, subterranean termite (Coptotermes curvignathus) laboratory testing was done. Results were expressed in terms of percent wood weight loss, termite mortality, and termite feeding rate. The preservatives used were permethrin and chlorpyrifos, which were applied by brushing or soaking methods. The results showed that retention varied from 0.012 to 0.070 kg/m3, and the preservatives very effectively protected the wood from subterranean termite attack. The improved durability of the preserved wood was indicated by significant differences between treated and untreated wood in terms of percent wood weight loss, termite mortality, and termite feeding rate.