Olaf Schmidt

University of Hamburg | UHH · Institute of Wood Biology

Forest trees are considered important in ameliorating climate change through removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, for stabilizing water catchments and for timber production. Wood decay fungi are among the most important biotic factors in ecosystems, infecting valuable landscaping trees causing an economic loss or the preeminent recyclers of...

There are many methods to identify and recognize the molecular and behavioural differences between organisms. One of the methods for the detection and identification of unknown organisms as well as intermolecular and intramolecular structural differences is MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Therefore, differentiation of Fomes fomentarius decay capabilit...

Decay patterns occurring in wood of hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) during natural decay in vivo were investigated and compared to decay in artificially inoculated wood in vitro. The fungal species causing decay was determined by morphological characterization and confirmed as Trametes versicolor using rDNA-ITS PCR and sequencing. T. versicolor caused...

The study was aimed at testing environmental-friendly plant essential oils for their protecting efficiency of valuable woods against colonization by mould and wood-decay fungi. Sixteen essential oils were applied to Fagus orientalis and Pinus taeda wood samples by vacuum impregnation and infected with Aspergillus niger, Penicillium commune (moulds)...

Felled palm trunks are susceptible to fungi as long as their moisture content is above fibre saturation. During this period, palm wood has to be protected against mould and rot fungi. Environmental-friendly organic acids are suitable. Small samples of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) and date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) wood were treated with 1 to 10% s...

Bestimmte Arbeitsmethoden sind in der genetischen und molekularbiologischen Forschung zu Standards geworden. Obwohl ihr Ablauf im Detail von dem jeweiligen Experiment und dem Laborprotokoll abhängt, sind die Grundlagen und der prinzipielle Verlauf stets gleich.

In this research, we examined decay patterns occurring in Quercus castaneifolia wood under natural conditions compared with controlled decay in vivo. Pleurotus ostreatus infected oak wood was obtained from the Guilan forests in the north of Iran. The species causing decay was verified as P. ostreatus using rDNA-ITS sequencing of pure cultures from...

Felled palm trunks are susceptible to fungi as long as their moisture content is above fibre saturation. During this period, palm wood has to be protected against mould and rot fungi. Environmental-friendly organic acids are suitable. Small samples of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) and date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) wood were treated with 1 to 10% s...

Postia dissecta (Cooke) Rajchenb. is renamed to Oligoporus dissectus (Cooke) Huckfeldt & O. Schmidt. The fungus is characterized with pictures and its ecology for buildings is described based on a collection from Germany. The insufficient knowledge of its distribution is noticed. The fungus was identified by its anatomical characters and rDNA-ITS s...

Der Espresso unter den Lehrbüchern Die Reihe Kompaktwissen präsentiert in klarer, prägnanter Darstellung die Inhalte biologischer Fachgebiete. Ohne unnötigen Ballast und im richtigen Kontext erläutert jeder Band verständlich die Fakten, Zusammenhänge und Prinzipien eines Teilgebiets der Lebenswissenschaften. Damit eignet sich die Reihe besonders …...

Freshly harvested palm trunks and timber with their high moisture content (MC) are susceptible to fungi due to the high content of easily consumable sugars and starch as long as MC of the tissue is above fiber saturation point (FSP). To test the influence of sugars and starch on fungal development, small wood samples from oil palm (Elaeis guineensi...

Oil palm wood samples were subjected to decay by the brown-rot fungus Coniophora puteana and the white-rot species Pleurotus ostreatus. There was up to 61% mass loss by C. puteana and 32% by P. ostreatus within two month of incubation. Light microscopy of the decayed samples showed preferential degradation of the parenchymatous ground tissue and ph...

The present study deals with the development of standardized laboratory methods to predict depletion of biocides more accurately under service condition. Laboratory test was conducted with EN 252 standard and non-standard pine as well as spruce specimens to determine leaching of chromium and copper from stakes pressure impregnated with commercial c...

O (2016): The brown-rot fungus Crustoderma dryinum in buildings. Zeitschrift für Mykologie 82/1: 85-110. Summary: Crustoderma dryinum is characterized with colour pictures and its ecology is described based on collections from Germany. The insufficient knowledge of its distribution is noticed. Crustoderma dryinum was identified by its anatomical ch...

Most studies on preservative depletion from treated wood are performed with small samples on a laboratory scale. Although these studies provided repeat-able and constant test parameters, the results have little applicability to real conditions. Therefore, a series of laboratory tests were carried out according to CEN/TS 15119 part 1 and part 2 by m...

The scope of this research was to evaluate the influence of xylem ray (XR) and degree of polymerization (DP) of holocellulose in Oriental beech wood (Fagus orientalis Lipsky.) on impact bending strength against two white-rot fungi. Beech wood specimens, exposed to Pleurotus ostreatus and Trametes versicolor, were evaluated for impact bending streng...

Beschrieben werden Merkmale der wichtigen Gruppen der Einkeimblättrigen Pflanzen (Monokotyledonen) Bambus und Palmen, die Anfälligkeit von Bambushalmen und Palmenstämmen für Pilze, die vorkommenden Pilze, Pilzschäden durch Verfärbung und Fäulnis des Gewebes, Verfärbungs- und Abbauversuche im Labor sowie Schutzmaßnahmen.

The effects of exposing specimens of Oriental beech [Fagus sylvatica subsp. orientalis (Lipsky) Greuter and Burdet] to the white-rot fungi Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.: Fr.) Kummer and Trametes versicolor (L.: Fr.) Pilát strain 325 have been studied concerning the mechanical properties and chemical composition in terms of carbohydrates, cellulose, an...

The degradation capabilities of two white rot fungi, Pleurotus ostreatus and Trametes versicolor, obtained from natural stands of Fagus orientalis (beech) in Northern Iran were studied. Fruiting bodies of P. ostreatus and T. versicolor were collected from fallen beech in the Alamdardeh forest, Iran. Beech wood samples were exposed to both fungi for...

Felled palm trunks are susceptible to fungi as long as their moisture content is above fibre saturation. During this period, it has to be protected against moulds and decay fungi. The study tested environmental-friendly organic acids for their protecting efficiency. Small samples of Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) and Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) w...

Laboratory and field leaching exposure tests were conducted to compare the residual metal content in EN 252 (50 × 5 × 2.5 cm3) pine sapwood stakes treated with commercial chromium- and copper-containing preservatives. Treated stakes were subjected to a series of laboratory leaching tests (CEN/TS 15119-1 and CEN/TS 15119-2) and field test exposure f...

The degradation capabilities of two white rot fungi, Pleurotus ostreatus and Trametes versicolor, obtained from natural stands of Fagus orientalis (beech) in Northern Iran were studied. Fruiting bodies of Pleurotus ostreatus and Trametes versicolor were collected from fallen beech in the Alamdardeh forest, Iran. Beech wood samples were exposed to b...

9 Effects of nano-clay on weight loss of wood-plastic composites (WPC) by five fungi were 10 studied. Nanoclay particles of 20 to 50 nm size were applied at 2, 4, and 6% WPC of 0.90 g/cm 3 11 density. The white-rot fungi Physisporinus vitreus, Pleurotus ostreatus and Trametes versicolor 12 as well as the brown-rot species Antrodia vaillantii and Co...

Most studies on preservative depletion from treated wood are performed with small samples on a laboratory scale. Although these studies provided repeatable and constant test parameters, the results have little applicability to real conditions. Therefore, a series of laboratory tests were carried out according to CEN/TS 15119 part 1 and part 2 by me...

Effect of silver nanoparticles on the rate of heat transferred to the core section of medium-density fiberboard (MDF) mat was studied here. A 400 ppm aqueous nanosilver suspension was used at three consumption levels of 100, 150, and 200 mL/kg based on the weight of dry wood fibers; the results were then compared with the control MDF panels. The si...

Effects were studied of zycosil nanoparticles, with size range from 20 to 80 nm, on liquid and gas permeability of medium density fiberboard. Nanozycosil was used at four consumption levels of 0, 50, 100, and 150 g/kg dry wood fibers. Density of all treatments was kept constant at 0.67 g/cm3. The obtained results indicated that the addition of zyco...

The effect of wollastonite nanofibers (NW) on biological resistance of particleboard, made from wood chips and chicken-feather fibers (CF), against Antrodia vaillantii was studied. 10% of NW, as well as 5 and 10% of CF, were applied to the particleboard-matrix based on the dry weight of wood chips. Then, as a complimentary study, 10% wood fibers we...

The effect of wollastonite nanofibers (NW) on biological resistance of medium-density fiberboards (MDF) made from wood and chicken-feather fibers (CF) against Antrodia vaillantii was studied. NW content of 10 % and CF content of 5 and 10 %, based on the dry weight of wood fibers, were applied to the MDF matrix, giving a total of six different MDF m...

Felled palm trunks are susceptible to fungi as long as their moisture content is above fibre saturation. During this period, palm wood has to be protected against mould and rot fungi. The study was aimed at testing environment-friendly organic acids for their protecting efficiency. Small samples of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) and oil palm (Elae...

Etwa fünfjährige Bäume von Aesculus hippocastanum L. wurden gepflanzt und mit dem Bakterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. aesculi, dem Erreger der Pseudomonas-Rindenkrankheit der Rosskastanien infiziert. Zum Erkennen möglicher Eindringwege des Pathovars in den Baum wurden die Bäume mit einer Bakteriensuspension vollständig besprüht bzw. der Wurzelteller...

Some of the most important indoor wood-decay basidiomycetes were investigated in Erlenmeyer flask experiments, in which 50 Pinus sylvestris sapwood samples with moisture content (MC) of 16% were piled, in view of the parallel influence of wood moisture and temperature on decay in buildings. In the piles, the moisture flow from the liquid at the bot...

Trees of about 5 years age of Aesculus hippocastanum L. were planted and infected with Pseudomonas syringae pv. aesculi, the causal agent of the Pseudomonas bark disease of horse chestnut trees. To get knowledge on the infection ways of the pathovar, trees were treated by complete spraying or by watering the root area with bacterial suspensions. In...

Decayed-wood samples were collected from a naturally-infected bridge made of Quercus robur. Fruiting bodies of the white-rot basidiomycetes Hymenochaete rubiginosa and Stereum hirsutum were sampled. The white-rot fungus Fuscoporia ferrea and the secondary saprobiont Mycena galericulata were identified from the rotten wood by means of rDNA-ITS seque...

The durability of five bamboo species from various origin against brown-, white- and soft-rot fungi was investigated in Kolle flasks in accordance with the European standards EN 350-1, EN 350-2 and EN 113. Considerable variability exists in the durability of the bamboo species. Guadua angustifolia was rather resistant to Trametes versicolor and Den...

Proposed is a method to investigate degradation of lignocelluloses by pure cultures of basidiomycetes using preserving jars with vermiculite as reservoir for water and nutrients. Bamboo samples of Gigantochloa atroviolacea and Phyllostachys pubescens and wood samples of Fagus sylvatica and Pinus sylvestris were inoculated with the brown-rot fungus...

Decayed-wood samples were collected from a naturally-infected bridge made of Quercus robur. Fruit-bodies of the white-rot basidiomycetes Hymenochaete rubiginosa and Stereum hirsutum were identified. Presence of Fuscoporia ferrea and Mycena galericulata was analysed by rDNAITS sequencing. The degradation patterns was studied by analytical pyrolysis...

The homobasidiomycetous species Coniophora prasinoides is reported from Germany for the first time. It is characterized with colour pictures and its ecology is described based on a recent collection from Bochum-Wattenscheid, Nordrhein-Westfalen (Germany). The insufficient knowledge of its distribution is noticed. Coniophora prasinoides was identifi...

Bamboos are fast growing woody grasses and have an increasing importance for the sustainable production of materials with many applications. However, bamboo culms and products can be colonized and damaged by fungi and insects during storage, transport and final use. This review describes the isolation of moulds, their identification by molecular te...

The protection of the bamboo species Bambusa stenostachya, Bambusa procera, Dendrocalamus asper and Thyrostachys siamensis against moulds was tested with environment-friendly chemicals under practical conditions. Bamboo samples were treated with several organic acids. Mould growth on the specimens was evaluated 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks after exposure at...

Brown rot decay removes cellulose and hemicellulose from wood—residual lignin contributing up to 30% of forest soil carbon—and is derived from an ancestral white rot saprotrophy in which both lignin and cellulose are decomposed. Comparative and functional genomics of the “dry rot” fungus Serpula lacrymans, derived from forest ancestors, demonstrate...

The degradation of several Asian bamboo species by white-, brown-, and soft-rot fungi was investigated under laboratory conditions by means of different test methods. Severe deterioration was caused by all three fungi types. The bamboo species differed in durability. Samples from 6 months young culms decayed more than older ones. There were no sign...

Trees are valuable for urban areas, however, are also susceptible to wood rot fungi. For accurate and fast assessment of the severity and evolution of decay in standing trees, a molecular technique was used to identify the causal agents of wood rot. Fruit bodies of wood decay fungi were collected from infected trees in various stands in Germany. Th...

The indoor wood-decaying basidiomycetes cause considerable economical damage. Approximately 80 species have been found in North German buildings. This chapter describes their significance as well as classical morphological and molecular techniques for identification.

Urban trees are valuable e. g. for the population and the climate in urban areas. However, they are susceptible to rot fungi. For an assessment of the rot development and of possible hazards, a molecular technique was used to identify the causal agents of wood rot in urban trees. Fruit bodies of wood decay fungi were sampled from infected trees. Th...

SummaryA molecular technique was used to detect the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. aesculi in horse chestnut trees (Aesculus hippocastanum), affected by the recently recognized European ‘Pseudomonas horse chestnut bark disease’. The technique helped identify the pathogen within 6 h of sample preparation including DNA extraction, polymerase chai...

The protection of the bamboo species Bambusa stenostachya and Thyrsostachys siamensis against molds was investigated with environment-friendly chemicals in the laboratory. Samples were treated with various organic acids and their salts. Mold growth on the specimens was evaluated 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks after inoculation with a conidia mixture of six mo...

An overview is given on the history of mycology and on the development of wood pathology. Zusammenfassung: Es wird ein Überblick der Mykologie allgemein und zur Entwicklung der Holz-pathologie gegeben.

Indoor wood-decay fungi are economically very important. Approximately half of the total damage caused by indoor fungi in Germany is caused by species of the Coniophoraceae. The sequence of the intergenic spacer (IGS) region of the ribosomal DNA was elucidated with the following fungi of this family: Serpula lacrymans (true dry rot fungus), S. hima...

Bacteria were isolated from necrotic lesions on a horse chestnut tree (Aesculus hippocastanum) with bleeding canker in Hamburg, Germany. Sequencing of the rDNA-ITS region revealed great similarity to pathovars of Pseudomonas syringae. Pseudomonas syringae pv. aesculi was identified by sequence homology of the gyrase B gene. This is the first report...

The chapter describes molecular techniques and results related to the identification and characterization of indoor wood-decay basidiomycetes, namely protein-based techniques such as SDS-PAGE and immunological assays and DNA-based techniques such as RAPD-analysis, use of rDNA for RFPLs, specific-priming PCR, DNA sequencing and analyses of microsate...

Indoor wood-decay fungi cause considerable economical damage. Most of the structural damage to the indoors of buildings in Europe and North America is caused by brown-rot fungi that degrade conifer wood; white-rot fungi, which preferentially attack hardwoods, are less common. This review covers the approximately 80 basidiomycetes that commonly occu...

The dry rot fungus Serpula lacrymans (Basidiomycota) is the most damaging destroyer of wood construction materials in temperate regions. While being a widespread aggressive indoor biodeterioration agent, it is only found in a few natural environments. The geographical source of spread and colonization by this fungus in human environments is thus so...

Bacteria, yeasts and other fungi were isolated from stem and root wood of Norway spruee trees with disease symptoms and were identified in order to evaluate a possible mierobial involvement in the widespread tree decline in Central Europe.

Regardless of their isolation origin, bacteria from wetwood of fir and poplar, from polluted beech and spruce trees, and from discoloured timber of Ilomba, acidified aerobically glucose-rich substrates by organic acid production and increased the pH of protein media by ammonia. The pH-changes occurred in laboratory nutrient media and also in the ph...

This study provides an analysis of the vegetative incompatibility system in Serpula lacrymans (Basidiomycota), a genetic system used to recognize nonself in fungi. Seventy-five worldwide isolates could be grouped into eight vegetative compatibility (VC) types, some of them distributed on different continents. Mating studies combined with vegetative...

An identification key for 20 common strand-forming indoor wood decay fungi is given. The key is based on observations of material from affected buildings and on wood samples that have been incubated in the laboratory. The key is with macro- and microscopic photographs.

"Wood and Tree Fungi" provides an up-to-date overview of the various wood and tree fungi that damage trees, lumber, and timber, with special focus given to identification, prevention, and remediation techniques. First, the fundamentals of cytology and morphology, growth and reproduction, formal genetics, and enzymatic wood decay are addressed. Caus...

Species of the dry rot fungi, Serpula lacrymans, S. himan-tioides, Meruliporia incrassata, Leucogyrophana mollus-ca, L. pinastri; cellar fungi, Coniophora puteana, C. marmorata, C. arida, C. olivacea; white polypores, Antro-dia vaillantii, A. sinuosa, A. xantha, A. serialis, Oligoporus placenta; gill polypores, Gloeophyllum abietinum, G. sepiarium,...

MALDI-TOF MS differentiated mycelia within pairs eachof the closely related indoor wood decay fungi Serpula lacrymans, S. himantioides, Coniophoraputena, C. mar-morata, and Antrodia vaillantii, A. sinuosa. The method is thus suitable to identify unknown samples by spectrum comparison.

The effect of increased temperatures was investigated for eight indoor wood decay fungi. All fungi survived in dried wood sticks at significantly higher temperatures than mycelium on malt agar. Donkioporia expansa and the Gloeophyllum species survived four hours at 95°C. Antrodia vaillantii and Oligoporus placenta survived at 80°C whereas Leucogyro...

The devastating dry rot fungus, Serpula lacrymans, has a worldwide occurrence in buildings. We investigated the genetic variation in European isolates belonging to five vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs) by AFLP analysis. Our results indicate that S. lacrymans in Europe is genetically extremely homogenous; only five out of 308 scored AFLP fragm...

Summary Antrodia vaillantii (DC.: Fr.) Ryv., A. serialis (Fr.) Donk, A. sinuosa (Fr.) P. Karsten, A. xantha (Fr.: Fr.) Ryv. and Oligoporus placenta (Fr.) Gilb. & Ryv. form a group of internal brown-rot fungi (`Porenschwämme´), which are associated with decay of coniferous woodwork in buildings and timber in ground contact. The fungi have similar oc...

To identify building-rot fungi in culture and from rot host tissue, the rDNA-ITS region of 18 species was determined by PCR and sequencing: Serpula lacrymans, S. himantioides, Meruliporia incrassata, Leucogyrophana mollusca, L. pinastri, Coniophora puteana, C. arida, C. marmorata, C. olivacea, Antrodia vaillantii, A. serialis, A. sinuosa, A. xantha...

Summary Within the genus Coniophora, C. puteana and the less common species C. marmorata, C. arida and C. olivacea form a group of domestic brown-rot fungi (`cellar fungi´), which cause considerable decay in woodwork of buildings. The fungi are difficult to distinguish by their fruit bodies. Traditional methods fail to identify species in pure cult...

The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA of Armillaria borealis, A. cepistipes, A. gallica, A. mellea and A. ostoyae was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced. There was a considerable sequence similarity among A. borealis, A. cepistipes, A. gallica and A. ostoyae and intraspecific variation among...

The occurrence and distribution of bacteria in so-called ‘frost cracks’ in oak trees were investigated to determine the possible role of bacteria in the formation and development of radial cracks in living trees. The bacterial samples were taken from wood cross-sections obtained at different trunk heights from freshly felled oak trees showing signs...

The occurrence and distribution of bacteria in so-called 'frost cracks' in oak trees were investigated to determine the possible role of bacteria in the formation and development of radial cracks in living trees. The bacterial samples were taken from wood cross-sections obtained at different trunk heights from freshly felled oak trees showing signs...

New methods developed for characterization and identification of dry rot fungus and other indoor fungi are based on molecular biology studies of the organisms. Proteins and nucleic acids are studied and such techniques as mycellar interaction, mating, electrophoretic protein patterns, DNA sequencing, etc. are used in those studies. The methods are...

The ITS of the nuclear ribosomal DNA of Serpula lacrymans and S. himantioides was amplified by PCR to evaluate this DNA region as a diagnostic tool. Sequencing of the amplified ITS region revealed a size of the complete ITS of 654 bp for S. lacrymans and 650 bp for S. himantioides. The base sequence difference between the two fungi was used to desi...

Summary The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of the main fungal species causing wood rot damages in European buildings was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). After sequencing the ITS, fungus-specific oligonucleotide primers were designed for taxon-specific priming PCR. These DNA marker molecules w...

Summary Novel methods developed for characterization and identification of wood-inhabiting fungi target molecules of the organisms such as proteins and nucleic acids and use mycelial interaction, mating, antibodies, electrophoretic protein patterns, oligonucleotide primers and DNA sequencing. The article reviews the respective work on the dry rot f...