-

In this study, the influence of the fungus Coriolus versicolor on the durability of sapwood and heartwood of Poplar (Populus deltoides) in natural state and treated with CCA (Copper/Chromium/Arsenic) was evaluated. CCA is a kind of water borne preservatives which was used in this study for treating speciments under vacuum and pressure (Bethel procedure) at 3 percent concentration. In order to conduct this evaluation, Kolleschale method according to DIN 52176 and B.S. 838: 1961 was used in a completely randomized block design. Speciments were contaminated with cultured fungus for fourteen weeks (24°C, 75% relative humidity). After this period, weight reduction, Compressive strength (Parallel to grain) and hardness of specimens weere measured. Weight reduction of heartwood was higher than sapwood and that of control samples were much higher than treated ones. Compressive strength (Parallel to grain) of sapwood was higher than heartwood and that of treated samples higher than control samples but regardless of influence of fungus, CCA reduced the compressive strength. There was no significant difference between the hardness of sapwood and heartwood, but hardness of sampels were higher than control samples but regardless of fungus, CCA increased the hardness.