Nutrient Composition Effects – how an optimal agar recipe changes it all.

Hi all, Here again with some additional nutrient discussion, you know I’m obsessed with everything related to agar and nutrients.
Today I am highlighting the impact an agar recipe can make in the way mycelium growths. Both pics are the same exact genetic (Phobos), just that the right pic was transferred a few a days earlier.
On the left you will see the mycelium with my HB Sorghum recipe and on the right you will see the same genetic but with a pretty standard LME recipe (this plate was sent by a friend for me to test vs my recipe)
Some notes/ observations:
  • Stronger more Vigorous growth on left plate
  • More Rhizomorphic traits on the left plate
  • Harder to isolate/sector from the right plate and harder to determine if its clean.
  • Impossible to determine optimal nutrient density/ balance from the right plate.
People often say there is no difference between rhizo and tomentose growth and for mere growing purposes they might be correct (they will both grow) but in many ways I believe that to be incorrect if you are more advanced in your agar and growing journey and want to really optimize each genetic to its fullest extent, including the following criteria:
  • Stronger, Rhizhophormic growth will lead to faster colonization times (fact). Once you obtain this kind of growth, you know you are close to the optimal conditions for that specific culture, and can utilize the optimal nutrient density (low,high etc) to apply for the later phases of the grow cycle. In the end this can lead to lower contam rates (faster mycelium will inherently lead to lower chance of contams)
  • Rhizo growth is much easier to perform culture optimization procceses such as Sectoring out to achieve a mono culture, Determining / cleaning out contamination
  • Provides each culture with dual isolation for really optimized and strong genetics. Most people only work a culture from its fruit phenotypes, but most leave it out the slow process of also working the culture in agar to further its capabilities (like speed etc). Including determeming the right nutrient profile, density til the sweet spot zone is achieved.
I know this topic goes well beyond whats here but dont want to make it too long and boring. Will make an add-on post to a related topic soon as well.
Happy Sunday!
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