Study on Potential of Dioscorine Content from Dioscorea hispida Tuber as a Natural Preservative on Rubber Wood Panel

Rubber woods have becoming an important raw material for indoor housing and furniture industries due to its abundant availability, renewable resources, low cost, and satisfactory material properties. However, rubber wood industries were facing many difficulties after commercialized such as easily degrade by fungi and termites attack. Opting for a natural preservative with a minimal environmental impact, safe for human consumption, and would be a new alternative to solve the problem in rubber wood industry. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential of dioscorine content from Dioscorea hispida Dennst (D. hispida) tuber as a natural preservative on rubber wood panel. The extractives of D. hispida was obtained using maceration assisted with ultrasonication method. The dipping method was used as rubber wood preservative treatment. The effectiveness of the extractives as rubber wood preservative were evaluated based on the durability test against termite attack and the decay of fungi from white-rot fungi of Pycnoporus sanguineus; and the biodegradability resistant through the in-ground test. The result obtained showing the dioscorine extracts are not very effective to give a full protection to the rubber wood from the termite attack, it provides a very slightly protection against the degradation in burial test but not effective towards fungal attack. Thus, further study needs to be done since from previous study this dioscorine compound showed a potential to be used as an insecticide. The concentration of dioscorine should be increased and pressure or vacuum impregnation method should be used as the wood preservative treatment to increase the good penetration and distribution of the extractives in the wood for a maximum wood protection.