Liquid culture expansion vial – 20mL vial/10mL nutrient

£10.00 inc VAT

Liquid culture vial

Sterile injection vial containing nutrient solution. Useful for rapid expansion of fungal cultures or spores. If you are starting a culture from spores, then simply remove centre from lid, swab and inject vial with a small amount of suspension (1-2mL). Within one or two weeks you will have 10 x as much rapidly growing culture for further use. Agitate well to break up mycelium before withdrawing. Includes sterile swabs and syringe for withdrawing mycelium. See below for full instructions.

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Description

Liquid culture expansion vial – 20mL vial/10mL nutrient Vial with cap removed

Step by step instructions:

1 . Swab the grey rubber centre portion and inject the liquid culture vial with approx 1 – 2 mL of culture/spores. Incubate at correct temp (usually 20-28 C).

Fluffy white mycelium growing in vial on right

Mix contents by swirling gently every few days. Within 1-2 weeks, white fluffy growth of mycelium will be visible in the liquid. The liquid above the fluffy mycelia should remain transparent – if it is cloudy even after being left to settle for a few minutes it may be contaminated with bacteria. If so, best to get another vial and start again.

2. This step needs to be done carefully, so get everything ready, read through first and have a practice run. Work in a clean area. Mix the contents of the vial by shaking hard for 10 seconds. Attach the needle to the syringe (leaving the protective needle sheath in place). Swab the rubber injection port, remove the sheath from the needle and pierce through the centre of the injection port. Incline the vial so that the liquid reaches the underside of the rubber injection and fill most of the syringe. Don’t worry about getting it all – just over half is fine. Even the clear liquid will contain tiny fragments of mycelium which will grow rapidly. If the syringe clogs on a thick lump of mycelium, then just gently reverse the process until it clears. Carefully replace the sheath over the needle.

Withdraw growing mycelium

Try not to draw any extra air into the syringe. The still-moist alcohol swab can be placed over needle when withdrawing to reduce risk of contamination and clean the port.

3. Inoculate MycoFarm or MycoBox using the culture in the usual way.