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AssigneeClariant Finance (BVI) Limited
InventorsRobert A. Blanchette, Roberta L. Farrell, Yitzhak Hadar, Johnnie E. Merritt, II, Robert A. Snyder, Philip A. Wendler, Wendy Zimmerman
Estimating the term…
Wood-penetrating fungi of the classes Ascomycotina and Deuteromycotina may be used very effectively to degrade pitch in wood forms used in the making of cellulosic products. Such fungi include but are not limited to the blue stain fungi. The process of Ascospore selection may be used to provide fungi which exhibit good growth on wood substrate while having little or no effects on substrate brightness, or even a positive effect on brightness. The treatment positively influences strength properties of ultimate products such as paper. In one embodiment the pulpwood or pulp is treated with a pitch degrading fungus of the genus Ophiostoma.
A process for reducing the pitch content of pulpwood or pulp without substantially degrading cellulose content comprising applying to the pulpwood or pulp a biologically pure inoculum of a wood penetrating, pitch-degrading fungus of the genus Ophiostoma, said inoculum being derived from a purified culture of said fungus and applying to the pulpwood or pulp the fungus in an amount effective for reduction of the pitch content of the pulpwood or pulp and maintaining the inoculated pulpwood or pulp under conditions which allow growth of the inoculated fungus for a time sufficient to effect a reduction of the pitch content of the pulpwood or pulp by such fungus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.