Wood-decay Fungus - White Rot

White Rot

White-rot fungi break down the lignin in wood, leaving the lighter-colored cellulose behind; some of them break down both lignin and cellulose. Because white-rot fungi are able to produce enzymes, such as laccase, needed to break down lignin and other complex organic molecules, they have been investigated for use in mycoremediation applications.

Honey mushroom (Armillaria ssp.) is a white-rot fungus notorious for attacking living trees. Pleurotus ostreatus and other oyster mushrooms are commonly cultivated white-rot fungi, but P. ostreatus is not parasitic and won't grow on a living tree unless it is already dying from other causes. Other white-rot fungi include the turkey tail, artist's conch, and tinder fungus.