If you're a little extra interested in mushroom cultivation, you've probably heard of liquid culture, also known as Liquid Culture (LC). This is one of the most efficient and flexible methods of growing mycelium and can give you fast and reliable results compared to traditional solid media. In this article, we will go in depth on what liquid culture is, how it is made, and which techniques are available. We will also look at why aerobic liquid culture glasses and lids can be a game-changer for both beginners and experienced growers.

What is liquid culture (Liquid Culture / LC)?

Liquid culture refers to a method in which mycelium is grown in a nutrient-rich liquid, usually made from sugar-based solutions such as honey, light malt extract or sugar water. The mycelium forms small colonies that float freely in the liquid and grow evenly throughout the solution. This results in a clear and even distribution of mycelium which is easy to inoculate (introduce) to other substrates.

LC has several advantages over solid media such as agar plates or grain substrate:

Rapid growth: Because the nutrients are readily available, mycelium in liquid culture can grow significantly faster than in solid media.

Easy inoculation: Liquid culture can be easily transferred to sterile syringes, making it easy to inoculate large amounts of substrate in a short time.

What is liquid culture used for?

Liquid culture is mainly used to produce large quantities of mycelium quickly and efficiently. This mycelium can then be inoculated directly into a substrate such as sterilized grain bags, straw, or sawdust.

Some of the most common uses include:

Cultivation of mycelium: LC is ideal for propagating large quantities of mycelium for further production.

Inoculation of bulk substrate: The mycelium in liquid culture can be transferred to bulk substrates, which allows the grower to produce large quantities of fruiting bodies faster than with traditional methods.

Storage of mushroom cultures: Liquid culture can be stored for a long time without the quality of the mycelium deteriorating, which makes it suitable for building up a mushroom bank.

How to make liquid culture yourself?

Making liquid culture yourself is a simple and exciting process that requires few ingredients.

Here is a basic recipe and procedure for making your own LC at home:

Ingredients: 500 ml water

4g - light malt extract (LME)

16g - dextrose

Sterile syringes

Airtight jars with a sterile injection port and air filter (syringe filter) - (like our aerated liquid culture jars)

Procedure:

1. Mix the solution: Pour 4g light ground extract and 16g dextrose into 500ml water. Stir well until the sugar is completely dissolved.

2. Sterilize: Pour the solution into a glass with an injection port and sterilize it using a pressure cooker for 15-20 minutes at 15 psi / 121°C. Allow the glass to cool to room temperature before proceeding.

3. Inoculate mycelium: Use a sterile syringe with an agar piece of mycelium or liquid culture solution to inoculate the cooled solution.

Tips. Scrape the mycelium from the agar petri dish so that you get as few pieces of agar as possible in the solution - easier to draw syringes without large pieces of agar.

4. Incubate: Put the glass in a dark place at room temperature (approx. 21-24 °C) and wait for 2-3 weeks. Gently shake the jar occasionally to promote growth. After a few weeks, you will see that the mycelial colonies have grown and are floating around in the solution.

Various techniques ("Tek's") for liquid culture

There are several different techniques, often referred to as "tech's", that are used to optimize liquid culture production. Here are some of the most popular methods:

One of the simplest methods, where honey is used as a source of sugar. Honey has natural antimicrobial properties, but can be difficult to completely sterilize.

2. LME Tek (Light Malt Extract)

This is one of the most used methods, especially by professional growers. Light ground extract provides the mycelium with a wide range of nutrients, resulting in vigorous and rapid growth.

3. Karo Tek

This technique uses corn syrup as a sugar source. It is a cheap and readily available solution that provides rapid growth, but results may vary depending on the quality of the syrup.

4. Bio-reactor Tech

Bio-reactors such as aerated liquid culture jars provide optimal growth conditions by continuously adding oxygen to the solution. This gives the mycelium access to plenty of air, resulting in more robust and uniform growth. This method is particularly popular with commercial growers who need large quantities of high quality mycelium quickly.

Why use "aerated liquid culture jars"?

For those who want to maximize the growth and quality of their liquid mycelium, aerated liquid culture jars from myhresmatsopp.no are the perfect tool.

These specially designed jars act as small bioreactors, where an air supply allows the mushroom culture to grow faster and more stably. They come with pre-installed injection ports and an air filter that keeps the solution clean and free of contamination.

By using an aerated liquid culture jar you can achieve:

Faster growth: The air supply gives the mycelium access to more oxygen, which promotes faster development.

Less risk of contamination: The built-in air filter ensures that only sterile air reaches the culture.

Easy inoculation and handling: The injection ports provide easy access to inoculate and transfer the solution without having to open the vial.

This makes aerated liquid culture jars an ideal choice for both hobbyists and commercial mushroom growers who want optimal conditions for liquid culture.

Liquid culture is an efficient and flexible method of growing mushroom mycelium that can produce faster and more consistent results than traditional cultivation techniques. With the right technique and equipment, you can create large quantities of quality mycelium ready to inoculate in just a few weeks.

If you're ready to take your mushroom growing skills to the next level, explore our range of products for liquid culture at Myhresmatsopp.no.

There you will find both liquid cultures, bioreactors and other tools that will help you succeed with your projects!