Deterioration of Teak Wood in Accelerated Decay Test

ABSTRACT The present study aimed to evaluate the biological resistance of teak (Tectona grandis) heartwood and sapwood to the action of Trametes versicolor and Gloeophyllum trabeum fungi in laboratory accelerated decay assays. The mass loss evaluation of the samples was performed periodically. The heartwood presented a higher percentage of extractives and the sapwood of holocelluloses. The sapwood and heartwood subjected to the fungus Gloephyllum trabeum remained stable. For the Trametes versicolor fungus, there was an increasing loss of mass over time for both regions, presenting a mass loss of 40% for the sapwood and of 20% for the heartwood at the conclusion of the assay. Teak wood was classified as highly resistant to the fungus Gloeophyllum trabeum, and moderately resistant to Trametes versicolor.