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Soil property effects on the natural durability, extractive content and colour of teak (Tectona grandis L.f) wood in Togo

Kokutse A.D., Amusant N., Boutahar N., Chaix G.. 2009. In : Thibaut Bernard (ed.). Proceedings of the Sixth Plant Biomechanics Conference, November 16th - 21th, Cayenne, French Guyana. Kourou : ECOFOG, p. 529-535. Plant Biomechanics Conference. 6, 2009-11-16/2009-11-21, Cayenne (Guyane française).

Togolese teak is highly resistant to pathogen attack, but natural durability and wood colour vary according to plantation sites and geographical zones. Therefore, further information concerning the influence of environmental parameters and their effects on teak wood quality is necessary and it could be possible to improve these characteristics through tree breeding and silviculture programs in Togo. In order to examine the influence of soil properties on teak wood characteristics, 321 wood samples issued from 20 trees were exposed to two fungi: Antrodia sp., and Coriolus versicolor. Depending on type of soil in which they grew, trees had been randomly selected in two different sites in the same climatic area in Togo. The colour parameters of each sample were measured using the CIELAB system and total extractive content was determined using the Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE) procedure. Results showed a significantly lower total extractive content (11.1%) for trees that grew on hydromorphic tropical ferruginous (HTF) soil than trees from drained ferruginous soil (12.8%). Samples from HTF soil were lighter and the redness a* and yellow-blueness b* were significantly higher. Independently of soil quality, all the trees were highly durable regarding decay by C. versicolor. With Antrodia sp., 90 % of the trees from both sites were highly durable and only 10% were durable. However, samples from HTF soil were less durable with regard to the two fungi.

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