Preserving Sporeprints

[alkatrope]

After taking a spore print, how does one keep them in tact if say sending them somewhere?

I keep mine in plastic zip-lock bags with another sheet of paper over them, and even then they smudge, let alone being handled within an envelope by Australia Post.

Suggestions?

Thanks

Edited May 15, 2006 by alkatrope

[AndyAmine.]

Perhaps you culd place the print on paper/foil secured inside a small container, or even take the print on the inside of the container, then seal it up wrapped in bubblewrap?

Would the print smudging be that big of a problem anyway, I think spores are pretty tough little suckers. if its the pattern your concerned wiht maybe you could take a photo of the print and then include that wiht the print.

Jst some ideas anyhoo.

[alkatrope]

I s'pose it's not really so much of a problem, I just think it'd be nice if you sent a sporeprint that they were still in tact so they could be compared to other prints or etc.

Maybe people don't care about this, I don't know.

[occidentalis]

Most people put their prints on alfoil, which is easy to sterilise. You can then fold the alfoil over and seal it nicely with no concerns about smudging, contamination, or other disturbance.

[alkatrope]

Thanks, will keep that in mind.

[prier]

I'm pretty new to the whole mushroom cultivation thing so please excuse my annoying questions.

So when taking a spore print on alfoil you need to sterilise the foil before using it? (if so I've got to throw out a whole lot of spore prints I took, god I feel stupid)

Would it be be a good idea to keep the prints (on foil) in ziplocked bags?

[foolsbreath]

Unsterile prints can still be used. they will require plating on a antibiotic agar and isolation of myclelium to be replated or used as an innoculum, easy done with asceptic handling technics put in place, don't despair!

[occidentalis]

Unsterile prints can still be used. they will require plating on a antibiotic agar and isolation of myclelium to be replated or used as an innoculum, easy done with asceptic handling technics put in place, don't despair!

I really think if someone is still coming to grips with the idea of spore prints needing to be on a sterile material you really don't need to raise the issue of isolation on agar! Babysteps .

[Anton]

Im under the impression alfoil is resonably steril on its own so you may be right as long as you took the prints with sterile technique. Just try and remember when you got the pressure cooker goin next time to chuck a few sheets in.

[occidentalis]

Or just flame with a lighter before use.

[alkatrope]

Rubbing down with isopropyl alcohol is easy enough.

[naja naja]

put in an oven @ 250 degC for 10-15 min

[shroomer_nick]

i just use a lighter.. seems to work fine enough

just quickly insinerate each one then put the cap on it and place a wine glass or somthing over the top

[alkatrope]

Quick question..

When printing on foil, is it better to print on the shiney side, or the not-so-shiney side?

[NastySpill]

Ok so last year I spent quite a substantial amount of time and effort getting a pressure cooker, a microwave, petrie dishes, agar, alcohol, scalpel, all this crap and then found that I my prints were not done in a sterile manner, and that i had wood lovers, but was ramping up a dung heap.. anyway my question is..

so you have sterile foil, but the cap isn't sterile, nor is the air in the glass.... so si sterilising the foil just to minimise contamination?

Also I found a year old collection of wood lover spore prints I totally forgot about in my cupboard (on plain paper, in zip lock bags) I hydrated them in tap water for a day or so and went for a walk at a few local parks with my water gun and sprayed some mulch beds. Do wood lovers like a particular type of wood? I guess the council park wood chips can and do contain everything..

[occidentalis]

so you have sterile foil, but the cap isn't sterile, nor is the air in the glass.... so si sterilising the foil just to minimise contamination?

Yes

obviously unless you are doing every single step of cultivation under completely sterile conditions (and even then), you will end up with some contamination risk

the biggest risks occur when making a print and when making a syringe from that print, as both steps involve exposure to the open atmosphere (unless one has access to a laminar flow), or exposure to materials (such as mushroom tissue) that have been exposed to contaminants.

There will always be a few contaminants present, the idea is that they will be in low enough numbers that the spores of the desirable species far outnumber them and outcompete them in culture. Sterlising your alfoil (and everything else possible) just removes as many opportunities for contamination as possible.

Edited May 17, 2006 by creach

[NastySpill]

And I'm not quite sure what variety of wood lovers they are.. I have not collected any this season yet. Based in melbourne though. I have plenty of mycelial growth but am not sure if its the right stuff.. I did have some white stalked orange cap's with orange gills, but they were weeded out.. time will tell.. pics will follow if i have success..

Edited May 17, 2006 by NastySpill

[bandario]

I would still attempt to use them; what is the worst that could happen? Your cake gets infected and you lose 5 dollars?

Some people are way too paranoid about sterile technique imo. Don't get me wrong, it's important to make sure that your medium is free from unwanted migrants, parasites and other nasties (easily killed with ye olde pressure cooker). But really... operate in a clean room, close the windows for a while to help reduce airborne environmental bactera, maybe do your 'clean' procedure on the oven lid, but there is no need for absolute paranoia. Just because something was in the open air for 5 seconds doesn't mean it is immediately useless.

[Hyphal]

Just because something was in the open air for 5 seconds doesn't mean it is immediately useless.

I agree 100% - I always start Liquid Cultures straight from prints, in te open air on a (clean) kitchen bench.

Not once has one contaminated.

Even when I first started taking prints, I never sterilised the foil first - and have still never had a contaminated jar.

Use your prints, dont throw them because you think they are stuffed!

[AndyAmine.]

The mushroom itself provides a level of contaminated spore print resistance with its veil, if you pick the mushroom jst below the veil BEFORE the veil breaks (as to get the biggest print), wipe it down very carfuly with H2O2 (the veil can break extremely easily) and hang it in a closed sterilised jar using a paper clip attached to the inside of the lid, the veil will break after a little while and your print will be deposited straight onto thre bottom of your sterilised jar.

Just take out the mushroom cap and fill wiht sterile water for a spore syringe.

This is a particularly useful method when taking prints from the wild.

[occidentalis]

The mushroom itself provides a level of contaminated spore print resistance with its veil, if you pick the mushroom jst below the veil BEFORE the veil breaks (as to get the biggest print), wipe it down very carfuly with H2O2 (the veil can break extremely easily) and hang it in a closed sterilised jar using a paper clip attached to the inside of the lid, the veil will break after a little while and your print will be deposited straight onto thre bottom of your sterilised jar.

Just take out the mushroom cap and fill wiht sterile water for a spore syringe.

This is a particularly useful method when taking prints from the wild.

Nice technique

[shroomer_nick]

i just use a lighter.. seems to work fine enough

just quickly insinerate each one then put the cap on it and place a wine glass or somthing over the top

I dont think it matters.. and if your sending the prints, use a bit of alfoil big enough to fold up neatly.

[shroomer_nick]

Quick question..

When printing on foil, is it better to print on the shiney side, or the not-so-shiney side?

Ignore that last post im a dickhead!!

Yer i dont think it matters what side of the foil you use.. and if your sending the prints, use a bit big enough to fold up neatly so's not to wreck the print

[shroomer_nick]

I agree 100% - I always start Liquid Cultures straight from prints, in te open air on a (clean) kitchen bench.

Not once has one contaminated.

Even when I first started taking prints, I never sterilised the foil first - and have still never had a contaminated jar.

Use your prints, dont throw them because you think they are stuffed!

I purchased a cubensis spore print from a dude online.. it looks good but im waiting for summer to use it..

I opened it to look at it quickly when i first got it and wrapped it back up.. i didn't breath on it or anything, (i was careful with it). the guy then told me because i had opened it it was usless. your saying this is not true?

[Hyphal]

I purchased a cubensis spore print from a dude online.. it looks good but im waiting for summer to use it..

I opened it to look at it quickly when i first got it and wrapped it back up.. i didn't breath on it or anything, (i was careful with it). the guy then told me because i had opened it it was usless. your saying this is not true?

Yes Im saying this is not true - you should be fine.

use a bit big enough to fold up neatly so's not to wreck the print

I fold the prints - I dont think it matters at all as long as all the edges are sealed making a little 'parcel' that you can 'unwrap' when you want to get at your spores. Folding the print does no harm...

Edited May 22, 2006 by OttO