Stilbene impregnation retards brown-rot decay of Scots pine sapwood

Stilbenes are abundant in the heartwood of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and are known to have strong antifungal efficiency. In this study, Scots pine sapwood blocks were impregnated with crude heartwood extract containing the stilbenes pinosylvin (PS) and the pinosylvin monomethyl ether (PSM). Impregnated blocks were submitted to brown-rot fungi, Coniophora puteana, Gloeophyllum trabeum, and Rhodonia (Poria) placenta, and fungal growth test and decay test were performed. Both tests showed that the impregnation with a high concentration of stilbenes (60 mg g(-1) dry wood) significantly suppressed the growth of fungi and slowed down the decay process of wood blocks, especially in case of G. trabeum. However, chemical analysis showed that PS and PSM were degraded by all the three types of fungi, obviously via modification to resveratrol and methylresveratrol. Rhodonia placenta displayed the fastest rate of degradation. Thus, impregnation with biodegradable stilbenes could be a viable alternative for wood preservation only in service situations with low or transient risk of decay.