TR-S1 Minimising market-limiting discolouration: Project summary report

This is a summary report for the National Institute for Forest Products Innovation’s (NIPFI) project: NT046 / NIF107 Minimising market-limiting discolouration in appearance Tasmanian hardwood. The project’s objective is to reduce the economic impacts of market-limiting discolouration in dry appearance grade boards of key Tasmanian species.

Production-induced board discolouration such as stain and ‘sticker mark’ can occur regularly in appearance hardwood production. Currently, market-limiting discolouration of appearance boards can lead to an industry-estimated loss of up to $1m per annum to the Tasmanian native hardwood value chain. If continuing, stain evident at project commencement in plantation hardwood had the potential to reduce the value of Tasmanian public managed plantation estate significantly. Discolouration agents are diverse, and varying management approaches are required. Agents such as a form of ‘blue stain’ fungus, are well understood and effective management techniques are available. Agents that lead to other discolouration such as sticker mark are more complex and reliable management options are less clear.

This is the first of two technical reports and a PhD thesis for this project. This report provides a summary of the project and its findings. Technical report TR-1 details the methodology and results of the biotic and chemical laboratory testing.