Because chitin synthesis occurs only in lower life forms, its inhibition holds promise as a target specific approach to pest control with minimal effect on non-target organisms. Wood stain and mold fungi have chitinous hyphal walls but in this study their sensitivity to the highly specific chitin inhibitor, polyoxin, was low. Seven of eight species exposed to polyoxin showed less spore germination and slower hyphal growth but only at rather high polyoxin concentrations. Polyoxin is not a good candidate for protection of wood against stain and mold fungi. -- AATA