RELIABILITY OF POLY B-411, A POLYMERIC ANTHRAQUINONE-BASED DYE, IN DETERMINING THE ROT TYPE CAUSED BY WOOD-INHABITING FUNGI

In both Basidiomycotina and Ascomycotina, Poly B-411 decolorization was an excellent indicator of the ability to cause white rot: 109 of the 110 isolates of brown rot fungi tested definitely did not decolorize Poly B-411, and 392 of the 401 mainly active isolates of white rot fungi decolorized Poly B-411. The Bavendamm (tannic acid) reaction was a less reliable test: of 74 white rot isolates examined that could not decay wood, 6 decolorized Poly B-411, but 19 gave positive Bavenadamm reactions. Of 80 isolates of Ascomycotina and Deuteromycotina that do not cause white rot, only 4 decolorized Poly B-411, but 17 gave a positive Bavendamm test.