DECAY AND TERMITE RESISTANCE OF PARTICLEBOARD MANUFACTURED FROM WOOD, BAMBOO AND RICE HUSK.

The resistance of particleboards, made from wood, bamboo and rice husk, to fungi and termites was evaluated. Panels were composed of 100% wood (Eucalyptus grandis), 100% bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris), 100% rice husk (Oryza sativa), 50% wood and 50% bamboo; and 50% wood and 50% rice husk. Panels exposed to the decay the brown-rot fungus (Gloeophyllum trabeum, and the white-rot fungus (Trametes versicolor), and, in a choice feeding trial, to termites (Nasutitermes corniger). The rice husk particleboards had the highest resistance of all samples and the bamboo particleboards had the lowest resistance. T. versicolor fungi produced a larger mass loss in the particleboards than did G. trabeum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]