Mycology is a passion that’s enjoying increasing interest among a growing number of people. This stems from the fact that fungi, although theoretically well-known to science, still hold many secrets. Recently, the world of biologists, including mycologists, has been surprised by various reports about these organisms. It’s been suggested that, among other things, mycelium may be a kind of “nervous system” of the forest, through which trees and other plants communicate, and mature specimens recognize seedlings originating from their fruits… Intriguing and fascinating, isn’t it? For this and many other reasons, many people decide to conduct their own research on fungi. Here, I’ll tell you more about what it’s like to observe their spores. Please read on!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Working with spores is demanding for several reasons. First and foremost, different fungal species behave differently. This means that examining mycelium under a microscope requires determining what type of organism we’re dealing with. Imagine that fungi can be, among other things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
and also… predators (e.g., selected species of Cordyceps attack insects and induce them to behave in certain ways).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Okay, but the topic is observing fungal spores<\/strong>. So why would you be interested in their position in the “food chain”? For a simple reason \u2013 it determines, among other things, what kind of substrate you’ll need to prepare a colonizing preparation, which you can then observe on a microscope slide. For example, saprotrophs prefer organic, but dead, matter. They can therefore decompose animal feces, tree bark, and even properly treated grains. They are then divided into, among other things, for coprophagous insects, scavengers, necrophagous insects, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are basically two main ways to obtain material for mycological research. So-called spore prints are popular but difficult to perform. Furthermore, in certain circumstances, they can be illegal. The second \u2013 more proven, more reliable, and fully legal \u2013 is to obtain spores, or rather liquid cultures obtained from them, from suppliers. I’ll describe both methods in more detail below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Obtaining spores by spore print is simply working with the fruiting body itself. This requires a mature mushroom that has not yet shed its spores. How do you do this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n You’ll need a sterile surface where the spores can fall. This can be food-grade aluminum foil. Place the cap on it, which should then be covered, for example, with a sterilized glass container. However, it shouldn’t be completely airtight. After about 12 hours, the print should be ready.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What’s the difficulty? On the one hand, spores often become contaminated this way. The air is filled with spores from other fungi, including molds, which can attack and contaminate the material. On the other hand, you can try to take prints of species legal in Poland this way. In the case of those whose possession and trade are prohibited, you won’t be able to do so, even though examining mycelium under a microscope, for example, that produced by the psilocybe species, is perfectly legal. This brings us to the second method mentioned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although these aren’t spores per se<\/em>, they are material obtained from them, and some people use this term interchangeably as liquid cultures. Stores offer, among other things, mycelium in liquid form for wild mushrooms, but connoisseurs of exotic species will also find something for themselves. What’s more, for example, you can order liquid cultures of unique varieties of the Cuban Psilocybe on this website. Although the possession of this species of mushroom is prohibited, viewing the spores shed by these mushrooms under a microscope or the mycelium that has already grown from them, as well as trading them, is completely permitted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a much less time-consuming and more reliable method, as liquid mycelium<\/a> is free of contaminants and ready for application. However, you’ll need to demonstrate some skill when it comes to creating a grow kit for research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let’s assume you chose the second option. How do you go about inoculating a liquid culture? The product arrives in a syringe with a suitable cap and a sterile injection needle. To continue, you’ll need a substrate.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhere to get spores?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Preparing a spore print yourself<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Purchasing Liquid Cultures<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How to inoculate mycelium in liquid?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Appropriate substrate and container needed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n