IDENTIFICATION OF MARKERS FOR MYCELIA OF WHITE-ROT AND BROWN-ROT FUNGI BY PY-GC-MS AND VOC ANALYSIS

Pathogenic fungi, along with fires and insect pests, are among the most important factors affecting coniferous forests in Siberia. Conifers are attacked by fungi that cause stains and decay of wood. The decrease in quality and timber loss due to stain and decay caused by fungi can be significant. The early detection of fungi in wood allows taking preventive measures to reduce the potential threats caused by fungi in the forests. The mycelia of brown-rot (Fomitopsis betulina, Phaeolus schweinitzii) and white-rot (Trametes versicolor, Phellinus chrysoloma) fungi and mycelia extracts were studied using methods of pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) and GC/MS, respectively, to find out whether the chemical compounds can be useful as fungal markers. Py-GC/MS of mycelia showed pyrolysis products of glucans, chitin, chitosan, proteins, and lipids. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of mycelia extracts were represented by 14-28 individual volatile compounds: Phaeolus schweinitzii> Phellinus chrysoloma> Fomitopsis betulina> Trametes versicolor. The presence of N-bearing compounds, 1-octene, 1-decanol among pyrolysis products of wood and some fungal VOCs emitted from wood may be indicative of fungi. The usefulness of the markers detected needs to be further confirmed by examining wood infected by these fungi.