Abstract

A survey in rattan cottage industrial units situated in Kerala, parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu was carried out and information on sources of supply of raw material, seasoning, preservative treatments, fungal staining and deterioration problems, etc. was gathered. Stained and deteriorated Calamus thwaitesii, C. pseudotenuis, C. gamblei, C. travancoricus, C. rotang samples were collected, fungal organisms isolated and identified. Botryodiplodia theobromae, Ceratocystis sp. and Graphium sp. are the important staining fungi. The papers presents a detailed account on the field survey and laboratory studies