Which statement accurately describes white rot's potential impact on wood?

• A. It never damages heartwood
• B. It only affects softwoods
• C. It damages wood slowly
• D. It may attack wood resistant to other rot, such as heartwood pine

Answer: (D)

White rot’s impact comes from its ability to break down lignin as well as cellulose, which lets it attack woods that other rot types can’t easily damage. Because of this, it can invade woods that are naturally resistant due to heartwood chemistry or extractives. That includes woods like heartwood pine, which are typically more resistant to other kinds of decay, yet white rot can still attack them under the right conditions. This makes it capable of causing decay in a wider range of wood than some other fungi.

So the statement that it may attack wood that resists other rot, such as heartwood pine, best captures white rot’s potential reach. In contrast, white rot can indeed affect heartwood, it doesn’t only affect softwoods, and it doesn’t inherently decay wood slowly—under favorable moisture and temperature conditions, it can progress relatively quickly.