Collaborations between EcoFoG and BioWooEB on the biochemistry and durability of tropical woods are being strengthened.

The durability of wood and wood-based materials is a real issue in tropical areas, particularly in French Guiana. The main objectives of the researches carried out through this strong partnership are to (i) better characterize extractives compounds from Guyanese woods by assessing their associated biochemical properties in relation to their natural durability, (ii) develop protection methods of low durable wood species from chemical formulations based on these active molecules, and (iii) assess the natural and conferred durability of tropical woods to diversify wood resources and uses in the humid tropics.

As part of the collaboration between EcoFoG, more particularly with the Laboratory of Wood Sciences and CIRAD's UPR BioWooEB (Montpellier), Jérémie Damay was recruited in September 2022 as a researcher within CIRAD's UPR BioWooEB (Montpellier), and has been hosted at EcoFoG's Laboratoire des Sciences du Bois since August 2023, where he is developing his research activities.

Moreover, Kévin Candelier is regularly hosted by the same research team. The objectives of his latest work trips (May 2022, December 2022, April-May 2023 and November-December 2023) were to participate in:

- the development of R&D activities linked to the protection and natural durability of Amazonian woods: Setting up the wood preservation laboratory on the AgroParisTech Campus, installing and monitoring field trials (Maëva Leroy's PhD thesis, CNRS), setting up resistance trials against lignivorous fungi and tropical termites, etc.

- the start of Emma Kieny's PhD thesis (2023/2026, ADEME-Cirad) on the "Valorization of extractable compounds from Guyanese trees of various taxonomic ranks, for the development of protection methods of white wood species (with low natural durability).

- the ongoing works on the ProtextWood project (2023/2024, LabEx AGRO ANR-10-LABX-0001-01, I-Site Université de Montpellier): "Natural extracts for the protection of wood materials against fungi and termites in French Guiana".

- various activities linked to the ANR Panther²Guyane project, led by Julie Bossu (CNRS, EcoFoG): determining the next durability tests for fiberboard, proposing Master's research programs for 2024/2025, etc.

- support in setting up the AquilaGuyane-4 project: "Development of the agricultural value chain centered on Aquilaria plantations in French Guiana", led by Jérémie Damay (CIRAD, BioWooEB).

Published: 26/03/2024