Effect of Mixtures of Carbon Disulfide and Methylisothiocyanate on Survival of Wood-colonizing Fungi

Authors

  • Edwin F. Canessa
  • Jeffrey J. Morrell

Keywords:

Fumigant, metham sodium, carbon disulfide, methylisothiocyanate, fungitoxicity

Abstract

The fungitoxicity of carbon disulfide (CS2), methylisothiocyanate (MITC), or a mixture of these two gases, to selected wood-degrading fungi was studied by using a fumigation apparatus. Both gases are important decomposition products of metham sodium, the most commonly used fumigant for internal treatment of large wood members. Carbon disulfide (up to 8,000-9, 000 ppm) was mildly toxic to most of the test fungi, and MITC (up to 18 ppm) was uniformly toxic. A combination of sublethal levels of both gases (3,000-4,000 ppm CS2/5 ppm MITC) was more toxic than either chemical alone. The results suggest a synergism between various metham sodium decomposition products, and this interaction may account for the protection afforded by this treatment. Further studies of other decomposition products are suggested.

References

Armstrong, G. M. 1921. Studies in the physiology of the fungi-sulfur nutrition: The use of thiosulphate as influenced by hydrogen ion concentration. Ann. Mo. Bot. Gard. 8:237-248.nBessey, E. A. 1950. Morphology and taxonomy of fungi. Hafner Press, New York, NY. 791 pp.nCobb, W. T. 1972. The influence of sulfur and carbohydrate nutrition of Fusarium oxysporum F. sp. lyco-persici on resistance to methylisothiocyanate. Ph.D. dissertation, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR. 59 pp.nElson, J. E. 1966. Fungitoxicity of sodium n-methyl-dithiocarbamate (Vapam) and its decomposition products. M.A. thesis, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR. 35 pp.nEslyn, W. E. 1970. Utility pole decay. II. Basidiomy-cetes associated with decay in poles. Wood Sci. Technol. 4:97-103.nGiron, M. Y., and J. J. Morrell. 1989. Fungi colonizing preservative treated Douglas-fir poles after remedial treatment with fumigants. Can. J. Microbiol. 35: 283-288.nGoodell, B. S., and R. D. Graham. 1983. A survey of methods used to detect and control fungal decay of wood poles in service. Intl. J. Wood Preserv. 3(2):61-63.nGraham, R. D., and M. E. Corden. 1980. Controlling biological deterioration of wood with volatile chemicals. Report EL-1480. Final Report. Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA.nHelsing, G. G., J. J. Morrell, and R. D. Graham. 1984. Evaluation of fumigants for control of internal decay in pressure-treated Douglas-fir poles and piles. Holzfor-schung 38(5):277-280.nKerner-gang, W. 1976. Effects of microorganisms on creosote. Mater. Org. Beih. 3:319-330.nLebow, S. T., and J. J. Morrell. 1993. Methylisothiocyanate fumigant content of Douglas-fir heartwood at various moisture levels after treatment with solid sodium n-methyl-dithiocarbamate. Wood Fiber Sci. 25(1): 87-90.nLilly, V. G., and L. B. Horace. 1951. Physiology of the fungi. McGraw-Hill Book Co. New York, NY. 464 pp.nMarsden, D. H. 1954. Studies on the creosote fungus Hormodendrum resinae. Mycologia 46:181-183.nMiller, D. B., and J. J. Morrell. 1990. Interactions between sodium N-methyldithiocarbamate and Douglas-fir heartwood. Wood Fiber Sci. 22(2):135-141.nMingle, G. J., and R. W. Boubel. 1968. Proximate fuel analysis of some western wood and bark. Wood Sci. 1(1):29-36.nMorrell, J. J. 1994. Decomposition of metham sodium to methylisothiocyanate, as affected by wood species, temperature, and moisture content. Wood Fiber Sci. 26(1):62-69.nMorrell, and M. E. Corden. 1986. Controlling wood deterioration with fumigants: A review. Forest Prod. J. 36(10):26-34.nPanshin, A. J., and C. Dezeeuw. 1980. Textbook of wood technology. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY. 705 pp.nSexton, C. M., P. G. Forsyth, and J. J. Morrell. 1993/94. A comparison of agar exposure and vermiculite burial methods for preparing basidiomycete-colonized wood. Mater. Org. 28:39-46.nSmelt, J. H., and M. Leistra. 1974. Conversion of metham-sodium to methylisothiocyanate in soil. Pestic. Sci. 5:401-407.nThorn, G. D., and R. A. Ludwig. 1962. The dithio-carbamates and related compounds. Elsevier Publishing Company, Amsterdam, Netherlands. 298 pp.nTurner, N. J., and M. E. Corden. 1963. Decomposition of sodium N-methyldithiocarbamate in soil. Phytopathology 53:1388-1394.nWaksman, S. A. 1918. The importance of mould action in soil. Soil Sci. 6:137-145.nWang, C. J. K., and R. A. Zabel. 1990. Identification manual for fungi from utility poles in the eastern United States. American Type Culture Collection. Allen Press Inc., Lawrence KS. 356 pp.nZabel, R. A., F. F. Lombard, and A. M. Kenderes. 1980. Fungi associated with decay in treated Douglas-fir transmission poles in the northeastern United States. Forest Prod. J. 30(4):51-56.nZabel, R. A., F. F. Lombard, C.J.K. Wang, and F. Terracina. 1985. Fungi associated with decay in treated southern pine utility poles in the eastern United States. Wood Fiber Sci. 17(1):75-91.nZabel, R. A., and J. J. Morrell. 1992. Wood microbiology. Decay and its prevention. Academic Press, Inc. New York, NY 476 pp.nZabel, R. A., and C. J. K. Wang. 1988. Utility pole problems in the eastern United States: Changing viewpoints. Proceedings, The Wood Pole Conference II, Portland, OR.nZahora, A. 1987. Interactions of the fumigant methyl-isothiocyanate with Douglas-fir wood and their influence on fumigant effectiveness. Ph.D. dissertation, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR. 109 pp.nZahora, A., and M. E. Corden. 1985. Methylisothiocyanate fungitoxicity to Poria carbonica in Douglas-fir heart-wood. Mater. Org. 20:193-204.nZahora, A., and J. J. Morrell. 1988. Decomposition of methylisothiocyanate in Douglas-fir heartwood. Forest Prod. J. 38(10):46-52.nZahora, A., and J. J. Morrell. 1989a. Diffusion and sorption of the fumigant methylisothiocyanate in Douglas-fir wood. Wood Fiber Sci. 21(1):55-66.nZahora, A., and J. J. Morrell. 1989b. The influence of wood moisture content on the fungitoxicity of methylisothiocyanate in Douglas-fir heartwood. Wood Fiber Sci. 21(4): 343-353.n

Downloads

Published

2007-06-19

Issue

Number 3 / July 1995

Section

Research Contributions

License

The copyright of an article published in Wood and Fiber Science is transferred to the Society of Wood Science and Technology (for U. S. Government employees: to the extent transferable), effective if and when the article is accepted for publication. This transfer grants the Society of Wood Science and Technology permission to republish all or any part of the article in any form, e.g., reprints for sale, microfiche, proceedings, etc. However, the authors reserve the following as set forth in the Copyright Law:

1. All proprietary rights other than copyright, such as patent rights.

2. The right to grant or refuse permission to third parties to republish all or part of the article or translations thereof. In the case of whole articles, such third parties must obtain Society of Wood Science and Technology written permission as well. However, the Society may grant rights with respect to Journal issues as a whole.

3. The right to use all or part of this article in future works of their own, such as lectures, press releases, reviews, text books, or reprint books.