Identification and Isolation of Microorganisms Associated with Wood Degradation from Timber Market, Umuahia North, Abia State, Nigeria

Authors: Uzonu, I.U., Ogbonna, A.N. And Ngwuli, C.P.

DOI Info: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12599613

ABSTRACT

Microorganisms have been known to be associated with wood degradation and wood products all around the world. Consequently, this study examined some of the microorganisms associated with wood degradation in the Umuahia Timber market, Abia State, Nigeria. Hard, soft and intermediate woods according to the timber dealers’ specifications were collected and evaluated based on symptoms of wood degradation. Three of each type of soft, hard and one intermediate were analysed for bacteria and fungi loads. The sampled woods include Redwood, Birch and Cedar for soft wood; Gmelina for intermediate and Cherrywood, Mapple and Mahogany for hardwood. A total of five bacterial and six fungal isolates were found to be responsible for the deterioration of the wood samples and these microorganisms were isolated using the pour plate technique. Of the wood samples investigated, cedarwood had the highest bacteria count at 3.13 x 104 cfu/100cm3, while the least was recorded for cherry wood 1.53 x 104. The fungi result showed that Birch wood had the highest counts at 7.67 x 102 cfu/100cm3 while cherry wood recorded the least fungi counts at 3.67x102 cfu/100cm3. It was also observed in this study that Bacillus species and Staphylococcus aureus were the most frequently occurring isolates with a high percentage occurrence of 7(100%) each. Amongst the various woods accessed for its degradation potentials, cherry wood had the highest number of bacteria species 7(100%). This suggests that cherry wood can easily be degraded by microorganisms. Among the fungal isolates, Aspergillus flavus and yeasts (100%) had highest frequency.

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