Sarah Brown
Mushroom spawn production is a process that involves preparing a pure culture of the mycelia, or fungal mycelium, which is then grown on a special medium. This medium is prepared using grains of wheat, rye, sorghum, or bajra, along with other ingredients. The goal of spawn production is to create a carrier for a specific strain of mushroom mycelium, allowing cultivators to transfer it to a substrate such as wood logs, straw, or compost. Spawn can take various forms, including sawdust, grain, and plugs (hardwood dowels), each with its own benefits and applications. Plug spawn, for example, is ideal for small projects and beginners due to its ease of use and durability. Grain spawn, on the other hand, is commonly used for commercial indoor mushroom grows but is not suitable for outdoor inoculation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Spawn is the seed of mushrooms and is the living fungal culture, called mycelium, grown onto a substrate. |
| Use | Spawn is used to "seed" mushroom compost. |
| Types | Plug spawn, grain spawn, sawdust spawn |
| Spawn production | Spawn is produced in a laboratory by incubating specialty mushroom strains and growing them into a variety of forms, including sawdust, grain, and plugs (hardwood dowels). |
| Spawn preparation | Spawn preparation involves making a pure culture, mother spawn in bottles, and commercial spawn in bags. |
| Spawn laboratory equipment | Autoclaves, boiling vessel, laminar air flow chamber, refrigerator, BOD incubator, pH meter, glassware, chemicals, non-absorbent cotton, polypropylene bags or bottles, air conditioning equipment, steel racks, exhaust fans, filters. |
| Tissue culture | The lower portion of the cap where the gill plate joins the stem is considered the best tissue for excision. |
| Spore culture | Collect large, healthy mushrooms, sterilize the surface, mount on a wire stand over a Petridish under a sterilized glass beaker. |
| Mother spawn preparation | Soak the sorghum or wheat grains in clean water to remove chaffy and damaged grains. |
| Commercial mushroom production | Increasing the spawning rate increases mushroom production and reduces the time needed for spawn growth. |
| Sanitation | Spawning should be one of the most sanitary operations in mushroom growing. Tools, baskets, and equipment should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before use. |
| Green mold disease | Green mold disease caused by Trichoderma harzianum (now known as T. aggressivum f. europaeum) can cause a complete loss of mushroom production by invading compost. |
| Delayed-release nutrient supplementation | Delayed-release nutrient supplementation can increase mushroom yields. The key factor in success is uniform through-mixing. |
| Lipid supplementation | Supplementation of compost with linoleic acid can increase mushroom yield by stimulating mushroom mycelial growth and fructification. |
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What You'll Learn
- Spawn is the living fungal culture, called mycelium, grown onto a substrate
- The goal of spawn is to spread out bits of mycelium into its final habitat
- Grain spawn is used for commercial indoor mushroom grows
- Plug spawn is great for small projects and is easy to use
- Spawn production involves making a pure culture, mother spawn in bottles, and commercial spawn in bags
Spawn is the living fungal culture, called mycelium, grown onto a substrate
To make spawn, small pieces of pure culture mycelium are placed in small batches of grain. The culture is then grown at room temperature (22-24°C). As small batches are fully colonised by the mycelium, they are used to inoculate larger batches. The mycelium is placed onto steam-sterilised grain, and in time, the mycelium completely grows through the grain. This grain/mycelium mixture is called spawn and is used to "seed" mushroom compost.
The spawn is the carrier that holds a specific strain of mushroom mycelium in stasis until the cultivator transfers it into its final substrate, such as a wood log, straw, compost, or synthetic log. The spawn can be myceliated grain, sawdust, or wooden dowels (plugs). The goal is to spread out bits of mycelium into its final habitat, where it can grow, colonise, digest food, and ultimately fruit.
There are different types of spawn, each with its own particular use, benefits, and trade-offs. Plug spawn, for example, is sold in small bags at garden centres, co-ops, and farmers' markets. They are locally produced wooden dowels that have been inoculated with mushroom mycelium. To use plug spawn, one needs access to freshly cut hardwood logs. Holes are drilled into the logs, and the spawn plugs are hammered into the holes. Melted wax is then brushed over the plugged holes to seal the log. Plug spawn is great for small projects because it's easy to use, requires no special tools, and is available in small quantities.
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The goal of spawn is to spread out bits of mycelium into its final habitat
Mushroom spawn is a living fungal culture, called mycelium, grown onto a substrate. It is the backbone of any mushroom-growing operation and can be likened to seeds for a mushroom farm. However, unlike seeds, mushroom spawn is grown from selected genetics and cloned for consistent production of a particular mushroom cultivar.
To make spawn, specialty mushroom strains are incubated in a laboratory and then grown into various forms, including sawdust, grain, and plugs (hardwood dowels). Each of these, once colonized by mycelium, is called spawn. Different spawns are designed for different substrates, and people often experiment with various uses for each spawn type. For example, sawdust spawn consists of mycelium grown into hardwood sawdust. Plug spawn, on the other hand, involves growing mushroom mycelium on wooden dowels, which are then hammered into freshly cut hardwood logs. The inoculation site is then sealed with wax to prevent the plug from drying out.
The preparation of spawn involves creating a pure culture, mother spawn in bottles, and commercial spawn in bags. Small pieces of pure culture mycelium are placed in small batches of grain and grown at room temperature. As these batches become fully colonized by the mycelium, they are used to inoculate larger batches. The basic unit of spawn is the quart, and increasing the spawning rate increases mushroom production while reducing the time needed for spawn growth.
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Grain spawn is used for commercial indoor mushroom grows
Mushroom spawn is the living fungal culture, or mycelium, grown onto a substrate. It is the backbone of any mushroom growing operation, acting as a stepping stone for the fungi. Grain spawn is a type of mushroom spawn that is used for commercial indoor mushroom grows. It is the industry standard for high-volume commercial production.
Grain spawn is made by combining sterilized grains—often wheat, rye, or millet—with mycelium, the vegetable part of a fungus. This mixture is formulated to promote the rapid growth of mycelium in the substrate. The grains are often supplemented with sawdust. The grains are typically grown in a sterile lab and produced year-round to ensure fresh mycelium.
Grain spawn is ideal for inoculating sterilized or pasteurized substrates. It is not suitable for inoculating outdoor logs and is meant for indoor cultivators or for inoculating straw beds. It is typically used within one to two months of purchase and must be stored refrigerated, with the exception of the pink oyster variety, which should not be refrigerated and should be used within two weeks of receipt.
Grain spawn is used to cultivate a variety of mushrooms, including Oyster, Lion's Mane, Chestnut, Shiitake, Pioppini, Reishi, and Maitake. It is a popular choice among commercial and home mushroom growers due to its vigour and reliability.
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Plug spawn is great for small projects and is easy to use
Mushroom spawn is the living fungal culture, called mycelium, grown onto a substrate. It is the genetic material used to grow mushrooms, much like seeds are used by gardeners and farmers. Spawn can be myceliated grain, sawdust, and wooden dowels (plugs).
Plug spawn is a type of mushroom spawn that is sold in small bags at garden centres, co-ops, and farmers' markets. They are locally produced wooden dowels that have been grown with mushroom mycelium. To use plug spawn, you need access to freshly cut hardwood logs. Holes are drilled in the logs, the spawn plugs are hammered into the holes, and melted wax is brushed over the plugged holes to seal the log.
To cultivate mushroom plug spawn, you don't need a pressure cooker or flow hood. Since plug spawn is much lower in nutrients, it is harder to get contaminated. This makes it easy to go from one 5-pound bag of spawn to over 10,000 plugs. To start, you can purchase high-quality spawn and filter patch bags or gallon ziplock bags. Boil the plugs for about an hour, drain the water, and allow them to cool. Place the plugs in the bags once they are completely dry.
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Spawn production involves making a pure culture, mother spawn in bottles, and commercial spawn in bags
Spawn is the living fungal culture, called mycelium, grown onto a substrate. It is similar to the seeds used for a mushroom farm. However, mushroom spawn is grown from selected genetics and cloned for consistent production of a particular mushroom cultivar.
One method for creating a pure culture is to clone oyster mushrooms by isolating them into a pure culture from the basidiocarp onto a prepared medium. The fungal mycelium can grow out from the basidiocarp tissue and be used as the mother culture inoculum to prepare spawn. The mycelium can be periodically sub-cultured onto a fresh medium and stored stably at 4°C for non-tropical Pleurotus strains.
Mother spawn is typically produced in bottles or jars, such as Mason jars or narrow-neck bottles with wide mouths. The substrate used can vary, but millet seed is an excellent option for producing oyster mushroom spawn. The seeds should be soaked for about 12 hours and then sterilized using heat and vapor pressure sterilization in a pressure cooker for 30 minutes at 15 psi. After sterilization, the seeds can be transferred to the bottles or jars and inoculated with the pure culture.
Commercial spawn is often produced in bags and used for growing specialty mushrooms. Sawdust spawn, for example, is made from sustainably sourced hardwood sawdust and pure tissue culture from select strains. The mycelium is already introduced to the material on which it will fruit, making it a preferred option for specialty mushrooms. Commercial spawn bags typically require advanced notice for ordering, as they can take 2-3 weeks to build and ship.
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Frequently asked questions
Spawn is the seed of mushrooms. It is a living fungal culture, called mycelium, grown onto a substrate. It is the backbone of any mushroom-growing operation.
Mushroom spawn production involves making a pure culture, mother spawn in bottles, and commercial spawn in bags. It is prepared by growing fungal mycelium in sterile grains.
There are three distinct types of mushroom spawn: Plug Spawn, Grain Spawn, and Sawdust Spawn. Plug Spawn is wooden doweling, colonized with mycelium, that can be hammered into freshly cut hardwood logs. Grain Spawn is used for commercial indoor mushroom growth. Sawdust Spawn consists of mycelium grown into hardwood sawdust.
