Mycology Lab 101: Agar Work, Cloning, Spores & Sterile Culture Technique for Mushroom Cultivation

Master mycology lab skills with this deep-dive video about advanced sterile culture technique for mushroom cultivation!

Learn everything you need to know about working with mycelium on petri dishes, making agar transfers, inoculating grain spawn and liquid culture, cloning live mushrooms and germinating and isolating new cultures from a spore print.

Sterile culture technique allows us to breed new strains, preserve biological specimens and prevent contamination, opening new doors in mycology and mushroom cultivation. But it requires special attention and delicate precision, so having some solid guidance at the beginning of your journey will save you lots of headaches and trouble down the road.

In part 1, we’ll cover all the important equipment, supplies, tools and concepts, including how to set up a low-cost, do-it-yourself laboratory, all of the essential principles of sterile culture technique, its value and its limitations. We’ll discuss contamination, how to use Parafilm, and some helpful tricks for tracking your workflow.

In part 2, we’ll learn how to use a scalpel to make agar transfers and work with mushroom cultures on petri dishes. We’ll go into detail about agar to agar, agar to grain, agar to liquid culture, how to verify your work with a streak test and some tips for scaling up.

Part 3 demonstrates how to get a mushroom culture started in the first place, starting with tips for sourcing new genetics. Then we explain how to clone a mushroom using sterile tissue culture, and finally how to germinate spores and isolate new mushroom strains on petri dishes.

With just this handful of techniques, you can unlock the next level in your mushroom cultivation skill tree, and cast whatever kind of mushroom magic you desire!

Made with love by Fungaia, a heart-centered, donation-based mushroom company
https://www.fungaia.life/

For the best, most reliable and super affordable mushroom
genetics and liquid culture, visit our favorite culture library:

True Blue Genetics
https://www.truebluegenetics.org/?coupon=FUNGAIA
Discount code: FUNGAIA

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Supplies List

1. Mushroom Genetics

Gourmet and Medicinal Mushroom Cultures from Fungaia
https://www.fungaia.life/shop/species/

The best liquid culture on the market:
True Blue Genetics
This is the last genetics provider you will ever need!
Discount code: FUNGAIA

2. Implements

Scalpel
- #7 Handle: https://amzn.to/3UNwW1C
- #11 Blades: https://amzn.to/4bDrNiK
Inoculation Loop: https://amzn.to/3UQNRR0
Forceps: https://amzn.to/3wq1I6H

3. Essential Lab Supplies

Alcohol Lamp: https://amzn.to/3TgSClX
Nitrile Gloves: https://amzn.to/49imAvc
Paper Towels
Denatured Alcohol (for lamp)
70% Isopropyl Alcohol + Spray Bottle

Pre-Poured Petri Dishes
https://agarnow.com/collections/petri-dishes

Fungaia Laminar Flow Hood
https://www.fungaia.life/shop/flowhood/

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Other Useful Supplies

The Fungaia Cube Kit
https://www.fungaia.life/shop/kits/?q=cube_kit
An organic, all-in-one grow kit for dung-lover mushrooms

Pre-Sterilized Grain Bags
https://www.fungaia.life/shop/fertilesubstrate/?q=7lb_grain

Pasteurized, Manure-Based Mushroom Substrate
https://www.fungaia.life/shop/fertilesubstrate/?q=poo_sub

Monotubs and monotub filters: Microppose
https://microppose.com/r?id=h776jn
Discount code FUNGAIA

Bulk Liquid Culture IV Bags
https://www.fungaia.life/shop/spawn/?q=bulk_lc

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More Videos from Fungaia

How to Grow Mushrooms the Easy Way:
https://youtu.be/LjOQeaVxmsw

How to Make Grain Spawn:
https://youtu.be/AvWC55higVw

How to make your own liquid culture
https://youtu.be/ybOImNKrOaY

Advanced liquid culture method
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxbbpDPg4tc

How to make your own injection port jar lids:
https://youtu.be/AwacJaA6qHM

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Upcoming videos:

Introduction to Mushroom Cultivation
How to Make Agar Media and Pour Petri Dishes
The Basics of Breeding
Storing Genetics and Managing a Mushroom Culture Library
Troubleshooting Contamination: Identification, Prevention and Problem-Solving

Created by Paul Lynn. All rights reserved.
Made using some free stock footage.
© 2024 Alembic Enterprises LLC
Walla Walla, Washington

Please forgive the video/edit quality, I’m still learning!

0:00 Intro
1:11 Overview
4:27 Background Info
8:58 Part 1: Equipment, Space & Supplies
17:27 Implements
20:53 How to Use Parafilm
24:42 Genetics
26:22 Part 2: Principles of SCT
26:37 Contamination
28:40 Degrees of Sterility
31:47 Priority of Sterility
33:18 Green, Yellow, Red Light
35:41 Goof and Grow
38:23 Part 2: The Juicy Stuff
41:48 Agar to Agar
45:53 Agar to Grain
48:49 Agar to Liquid Culture
50:03 Streak Test
50:44 Part 3: Starting a New Culture
51:06 Sourcing Genetics
52:01 Cloning a Mushroom
56:24 Spore Work
1:02:59 Outro + Love