Detailed explanation of strain storage methods, teaching you how to correctly preserve strains

Preserving edible mushroom strains can effectively maintain their superior traits and extend the number of years a superior variety can be used. Therefore, it is just as important as breeding new varieties and is an indispensable and important part of edible mushroom production. However, formal and strict storage methods require some equipment and also place high demands on operating technique. For the vast number of mushroom growers, some simple traditional methods are more feasible and more worth promoting.

Low-temperature storage at the bottom of a well The test-tube mother cultures to be stored should be sealed with sterile rubber stoppers dipped in paraffin, placed into sealed wide-mouth bottles or plastic bags and tied tightly, then sunk to the bottom of a well for storage, where they can be stored for 2 to 5 months.

Paraffin sealing storage Cut wax paper into 6 to 8 cm squares and soak them in 75% alcohol for 1 minute. After sterilizing the mouth of the test tube culture that has already been cultured by rotating it over the flame of an alcohol lamp, take out the wax paper with tweezers and tie it tightly around the tube mouth. Then dip the tube mouth wrapped with wax paper into melted paraffin, completely immersing the wax paper so that it tightly seals and wraps around the tube wall, with absolutely no air leakage. After the paraffin cools and solidifies, store it in a refrigerator or at room temperature.

Cellophane sealing storage Dissolve 15 g gelatin (adhesive), 2 g copper sulfate, and 1 to 2 drops of methylene blue (indicator) in 100 mL of hot water to prepare a sealing agent. Remove the cotton plug from a freshly fully grown mother culture, turn the tube mouth downward, dip it in the sealing agent, attach cellophane that has been soaked in 95% alcohol, and seal it with melted paraffin. At room temperature, the strain can be preserved for at least 8 months, and it can prevent infection by molds or mites. Injecting sterile mineral oil (liquid paraffin) onto the slant can greatly extend the storage time.

????Barnyard manure storage This method is suitable for storing grass-rotting fungi such as Agaricus bisporus. Dry and crush compost such as decomposed cow manure, take 300 g of dry compost, sift it through a sieve with 5 mm apertures, add 1000 mL of water to adjust moisture, put it into test tubes so that it occupies 1/3 to 1/2 of the tube depth, and sterilize for 2 hours under 0.15 MPa pressure. After confirming sterility, inoculate. After the mycelium grows fully, store it in a 3°C refrigerator and transfer it once every 2 years. During long-term storage, if the medium loses water, the stored strain should be promptly inoculated onto agar slants for activation, and then preservation can continue. After continuous storage for 4 years by this method, its production traits showed no obvious changes.