Anatomical and chemical modifications in the wood of specimens of trees of La Plata city (Buenos Aires) caused by Laetiporus sulphureus (Basidiomycota, Polyporales). Fitoquímica - Phytochemistry

Abstract

Anatomical and chemical modifications in the wood of specimens of trees of La Plata city (Buenos Aires) caused by Laetiporus sulphureus (Basidiomycota, Polyporales). L. sulphureus is an important pathogen causing brown rot in urban trees worldwide. In La Plata city, this fungus was found in specimens of white poplar, green ash, eucalyptus and chinaberry. The objective of this study was to analyze the structural and chemical alterations caused by L. sulphureus in white poplar, green ash, eucalyptus and chinaberry in order to contribute to the diagnosis of the risk that implies their deterioration for inhabitants, their goods and tree diversity in the city. Anatomical studies were performed using light and scanning electron microscopes. Chemical analyses were carried out on samples of green ash and chinaberry, according to TAPPI standards. In all instances the damage was located in the heartwood, showing typical characteristics of advanced stages of brown rot decay. For each species specific alterations at the anatomical and chemical levels were registered, compatible with their structural differences. This is the first regional contribution on the type and degree of deterioration recorded in species naturally affected by L. sulphureus, useful for understanding the risks involved in the urban context.