Repurposing mountain pine beetle blue wood for art through additional fungal colonization

• Published in: International biodeterioration & biodegradation Vol. 85; pp. 372 - 374
• Main Authors: Robinson, Sara C., Tudor, Daniela, MacDonald, Gillian, Mansourian, Yassaman, Cooper, Paul A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2013
• Subjects: Bluestain; Cladrastis lutea; Dendroctonus brevicomis; Dendroctonus ponderosae; forests; fungi; income; Lodgepole pine; lumber; markets; pigmentation; pigments; Pinus contorta var. latifolia; Scytalidium; Scytalidium cuboideum; Scytalidium ganodermophthorum; Spalting; value added; wood; North America; Scytalidium ganodermophthorum; Bluestain; Scytalidium cuboideum; Lodgepole pine; Spalting
• ISSN: 0964-8305; 1879-0208
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ibiod.2013.08.021

Deciduous wood pigmented by fungi (spalted wood) has a long history of use in decorative woodcraft dating back to at least the 15th century and is still routinely utilized by woodworkers today. With the prevalence of the mountain pine beetle in western North America, a large amount of bluestained wood is currently available but is not utilized for value-added applications like spalting. This study shows that bluestained lodgepole pine is an ideal wood for additional spalting treatment with Scytalidium species, resulting in additional pigments of pink or yellow on the wood. The results of this study show that not only can coniferous wood be spalted, but that bluestained pine is particularly well suited for additional pigmentation. Brightly pigmented spalted wood is rare within the current marketplace and offers a new potential market for bluestained lumber and a chance for areas affected by mountain pine beetle to recapture lost income from their forest stock. •Lodgepole pine boards affected with bluestain are easily pigmented by Scytalidium cuboideum.•Lodgepole pine boards affected with bluestain are easily pigmented by Scytalidium ganodermophthorum.•The complete permeation of pigments of Scytalidium may be due to increased permeability by bluestains.