Resistance of smoked wood to subterranean and dry-wood termite attack

Abstract Specimens from Sengon ( Paraserianthes falcataria ), Sugi ( Cryptomeria japonica ), and Pulai ( Alstonia sp.) trees were exposed for 3, 8, or 15 days to the smoke generated during Mangium wood ( Acacia mangium ) pyrolysis, and their resistance to termite biodeterioration was compared to that of polystyrene-treated or untreated woods. All treated-wood specimens were exposed to subterranean termites ( Coptotermes curvignathus Holmgren) and dry-wood termites ( Cryptotermes cynocephalus Light) under laboratory conditions. The results showed that: (1) All three untreated woods were classified as class V (or very poorly resistant) to subterranean termite attack. On the other hand untreated-wood specimens of Pulai and Sugi tree were classified as class IV (or poorly resistant) and specimens of Sengon tree as class III (or moderately resistant) to dry-wood termites, based on the national Indonesian standard; (2) for all three wood species, 3-day exposure to Mangium wood smoke increased their resistance to class I (or very resistant) to subterranean termite attack; and (3) smoke treatment for 3 days for Sengon and Pulai wood specimens, and 15 days for Sugi wood specimens was required to increase their resistance to dry-wood termite attack to class I, which is the resistance level characterizing polystyrene-treated woods for all three species.