Mycology Terms Dictionary

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Mycology Terms Dictionary

Core Equipment & Environment

Sab (Still Air Box) - An enclosed workspace that minimizes air movement. Important because it creates a contamination-reduced environment for sterile work without expensive equipment.

Laminar Flow Hood - A device that produces a sterile stream of filtered air. Important as the gold standard for contamination-free inoculation and transfers.

PC (Pressure Cooker) - A sealed vessel that sterilizes materials using high-pressure steam. Important because it achieves temperatures (250°F+) needed to kill heat-resistant contaminants.

Filters - Barriers that remove contaminants from air or liquids. Important for maintaining sterile conditions during gas exchange and inoculation.

Syringe Filters - Small filters attached to syringes for sterile liquid transfer. Important for creating clean spore/liquid culture solutions.

Self-Healing Injection Ports - Rubber septa that reseal after needle puncture. Important for maintaining sterility during multiple inoculations.

Environmental Controls

Humidity/Temperature - Moisture and heat levels in growing environment. Important because mushrooms require specific ranges (typically 70-90% humidity, 70-80°F) for healthy growth.

FAE (Fresh Air Exchange) - Introduction of oxygen-rich air while removing CO2. Important because mycelium needs oxygen and excessive CO2 causes deformed fruits.

Contamination Management

Contamination - Unwanted organisms (molds, bacteria) competing with your cultivation. Important because contaminants can overtake cultures and produce harmful compounds.

Sterilization/Sanitation - Killing all microorganisms vs. reducing their numbers. Important to understand the difference—sterilization for substrates, sanitation for surfaces.

Isopropyl Alcohol - Common disinfectant (70% concentration). Important for surface sanitation and maintaining clean work areas.

Biological Basics.

Spores - Reproductive cells of fungi. Important as the starting point for cultivation and genetic preservation.

Mycelium - The vegetative fungal network of thread-like hyphae. Important as the main growth phase that colonizes substrate and produces mushrooms.

Life Stages/Cycle - Spores → germination → mycelium → primordia → pinning → fruiting bodies. Important to understand each phase's requirements for successful cultivation.

Species - Distinct fungal organisms (e.g., Pleurotus ostreatus). Important for identifying growth requirements and expected characteristics.

Strains - Genetic variations within a species. Important because different strains have different growth speeds, yields, and potency.

Specimens - Individual mushroom samples. Important as source material for cloning superior genetics.

Specimen Selection - Choosing the best fruits for propagation. Important for improving genetics through selective cultivation.

Genetics & Reproduction

Haploids - Cells with a single set of chromosomes (from one spore). Important because they must mate to form fertile mycelium.

Monokaryons/Dikaryons - Single-nucleus vs. two-nucleus mycelial cells. Important because dikaryotic mycelium (after mating) can produce mushrooms, monokaryotic cannot.

Variants - Natural genetic variations. Important for discovering unique traits like color or growth patterns.

Hybrids - Offspring from crossing different strains/species. Important for creating mushrooms with combined desirable traits.

Mutations - Spontaneous genetic changes. Important because they can produce novel characteristics worth isolating.

ISO - Isolated genetic mutation. It has been isolated to the point where I will not revert back to its original genetics it first came from. 

Cloning - Creating genetically identical mycelium from tissue. Important for preserving specific genetics and maintaining consistent results.

Genetics - Hereditary characteristics of fungi. Important because understanding genetics allows selective breeding for desired traits.

Genetic Strength - Vigor and vitality of mycelial genetics. Important because weak genetics lead to slow growth and susceptibility to contamination.

P0-P5 (Passage numbers) - Generations of transfers from original culture. Important because genetics can degrade/mutate with excessive transfers.

Bioviability - The ability of spores/cultures to germinate and grow. Important because it decreases over time, affecting cultivation success.

Culture Techniques

LC (Liquid Culture) - Mycelium suspended in nutrient solution. Important for rapid expansion and easy inoculation.

Agar - Gelatinous medium for growing mycelium on plates. Important for isolating clean cultures, observing growth, and genetic work.

Plates - Petri dishes containing agar. Important as the primary tool for mycelial isolation and observation.

Glycol/Glycerin - Cryoprotectants for long-term storage. Important for preserving genetics in frozen cultures.

Spore Prints - Spore deposits on paper/foil. Important for long-term genetic storage and creating syringes.

Spore Syringes - Spores suspended in sterile water. Important as an easy inoculation method and distribution format.

Nutrition

Required Nutrients - Mycelium needs carbon (sugars), nitrogen (proteins), minerals, vitamins, and water. Important because improper nutrition limits growth and yields.

Cultivation Stages

Incubation - Period when mycelium colonizes substrate in darkness/warmth. Important for establishing strong mycelial networks before fruiting.

Inoculation - Introduction of spores/mycelium to substrate. Important as the starting point of each cultivation cycle.

Colonization - Mycelium spreading throughout substrate. Important to complete fully before fruiting to prevent contamination.

Pinning - Formation of tiny mushroom primordia. Important as the transition from vegetative to reproductive growth.

Fruiting - Development of mature mushrooms. Important as the harvest stage and completion of the life cycle.

Flushes - Sequential crops of mushrooms from same substrate. Important for maximizing yields (typically 2-4 flushes possible).

Substrates & Amendments

Grain Spawn - Colonized grain used to inoculate bulk substrate. Important as a fast-colonizing inoculum with built-in nutrients.

Substrate - Material mycelium grows on and extracts nutrients from. Important as the foundation of cultivation.

Substrate Types:

Coconut Coir - Shredded coconut husk fiber; water-retentive and contamination-resistant

Straw - Dried grass stems; high in cellulose for wood-loving species

Sawdust - Wood particles; ideal for wood-decomposing mushrooms

BRF (Brown Rice Flour) - Ground rice; nutrient-rich for small-scale grows

CVG (Coir/Vermiculite/Gypsum) - Popular blend combining water retention, aeration, and pH buffering

Vermiculite - Expanded mineral that retains water and air. Important for maintaining moisture and structure in substrates.

Gypsum - Calcium sulfate that buffers pH and prevents clumping. Important for optimal nutrient availability and substrate texture.

Casing Layer - Top layer of non-nutritive material. Important for triggering pinning and maintaining surface moisture.

Soaks - Rehydrating grain spawn or fruited substrate. Important for preparing additional flushes after moisture depletion.

Growing Systems

Shotgun Fruiting Chamber (SGFC) - Humidity chamber with holes for FAE. Important as a simple, effective fruiting environment for beginners.

Monotubs - All-in-one colonization and fruiting containers. Important for low-maintenance bulk cultivation.

Grow Bags - Sealed bags with filter patches. Important for sterile, portable cultivation.

Grow Beds - Large outdoor cultivation areas. Important for commercial-scale production.

Grow Stumps - Inoculated logs/stumps for outdoor cultivation. Important for sustainable, long-term mushroom production.

Mushroom Categories

Gourmet/Medicinal/Psychedelic - Categories based on use. Important to distinguish because they have different cultivation requirements, legal status, and purposes—gourmet for food, medicinal for health compounds, psychedelic containing psilocybin (often legally restricted).

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