A spore syringe consists of a syringe filled with sterilised water and mushroom spores.
Spore syringes are commonly sold online for the purpose of microscopy & mushroom cultivation.
Using A Spore Syringe
Spores originate from mushroom fruiting bodies, for this reason they cannot be guaranteed free from contamination.
First time cultivators will often attempt to inoculate grain spawn or BRF cakes using a spore syringe with varied results.
For best results we recommend germinating spores on agar in order to take a clean culture transfer.
Liquid culture is a powerful tool in the mushroom growers arsenal. Just a few drops is enough to start the transformation from sterilised grain to vigorous mushroom grain spawn. Liquid culture can be used to inoculate agar plates, grain spawn or even create an endless supply of liquid culture.
Spore Syringe To Agar
A singular drop of the spore syringe can be placed onto agar for germination. Within the following 3 – 7 days mycelium will begin to form on the surface of the agar.
It’s common for newly germinated spores to carry bacteria. Often the mycelium will grow faster than bacteria, in this case a segment of clean mycelium can be isolated to continue growing on another agar plate.
Spore Syringe Vs Liquid Culture
Spore syringes are often mistaken for liquid culture. Liquid culture is the result of an isolated mycelium culture grown and expanded in a sugar broth.
Liquid culture is preferred over a spore syringe to inoculate grain spawn due to the reduced chance of contamination.
