Fungi for improvements of wood and pulp appearance and qualities

Abstract

The invention relates to the use of fungi stains of Ophiostoma floccosum, Ophiostoma piceae or Ophiostoma pluruanulatum, or mixtures on wood and pulp to improve chemical pulping processes and / or reduce cooking tie and / or improve brightness and / or decrease extractives.

Description

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND[0001] The present invention relates to the use of certain fungi in the enhancement of wood quality. More particularly, but not exclusively, it relates to the use of particular fungi strains of Ophiosotoma floccosum, Ophiostoma piceae or Ophiostoma pluruanulatum, or mixtures of strains, to elicit a useful effect on wood or wood products derived therefrom in or on a substrate or locum e.g. including biocontrol; the prevention of staining of cellulosic materials from detrimental strains or other detrimental effects from detrimental strains, or for the reduction of pitch components and / or their detrimental effects, the production of positive effects achieved from the strains in regard to solid wood with uptake of liquid materials including but not limited to glue, preservative, varnish, paint, improvement in mechanical or chemical pulping as achieved by increased efficiency of cooking liquor (with concomitant lower kappa number value achieved for the equivalent cook...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] Our recent studies dealing with New Zealand sapstaining organisms have yielded surprising results. Studies particularly with radiata pine have shown certain New Zealand Ophiostoma albino species especially albino or very slightly pigmented in their hyphae; even if slightly pigmented in other fungal bodies provide improved results in biocontrol of sapstain and reduction of pitch. These species have shown to provide an improved result over that of Cartapip.RTM.97 on radiata pine. Cartapip.RTM.97 has proved to be somewhat but not fully effective to reduce stain to the desired industry target of <10% stain in 3 months. Furthermore, our studies have shown mixtures of more than one albino fungus have also been effective in increasing brightness of wood, and / or brightness increase in chemical pulp resulting from albino treatment of wood, and / or improved pulping efficiency such that lower kappa numbers were achieved with treatment of the wood with he albino strains.

Problems solved by technology

In the production of products from wood pulps, the presence of pitch is undesirable as it frequently forms deposits which are difficult to remove or its presence causes detrimental properties to the products derived from the wood.

Another problem in the timber industry derives from staining.

When trees are cut down they commonly become infected by any one or more of a variety of fungi which can stain the wood in any one or more of a variety of colours.

A major problem in the industry today involves loss of value in timber products, and any products derived therefrom due to the unsightly staining caused by so-called blue stain fungi which can colour the wood a variety of colours including gray, dark blue and black, such staining appearing in the wood even though the outer surfaces or regions of the wood have been cut away in forming the lumber.

Sapstain fungi are not capable of degrading cellulose or lignin, but metabolise resin extractives, starch and simple sugars.

Sapstain fungi cause a characteristic stain of sapwood resulting in a blue, black, grey or brown discolouration of the wood, and is responsible for major economic losses in the timber and some pulping industries.

Cartapip.RTM.97 has proved to be somewhat but not fully effective to reduce stain to the desired industry target of <10% stain in 3 months.

Images