Breakdown of barrier zones and prediction of the spread of discolouration and decay resulting from stem wounds in Eucalyptus regnans and E. obliqua

In Eucalyptus regnans and E. obliqua a rapid increase in the spread of defects (discolouration and decay) was observed more than 14 years after wounding. This increase was due to a breakdown of the barrier zone and the subsequent spread of defects into wood formed after wounding. Satisfactory relationships predicting defect extent using time since wounding could not be derived.