Myceilum Growth
Material collection
Basidiomycota
Experiment
I personally visited Fitzroy Gardens Compost, Sherbrooke Forest, and Cape Otway Coastline to observe the unique environments where fungi thrive. These locations were selected for their rich biodiversity and varied ecological conditions: urban compost piles, humid rainforests, and dynamic coastal zones. Each site offered opportunities to document environmental variables and fungi diversity. These field visits allowed me to carefully collect samples without disrupting the natural habitats, deepening my understanding of fungi’s ecological roles and informing the selection of specimens for further study.
Mycelial Growth Observation
17/1/2025: The mycelium has not yet emerged; tissue remains isolated in the agar center with no visible hyphal expansion.
23/1/2025: Initial radial growth is observed. Fine, translucent mycelial threads begin to radiate outward from the core tissue. The margin is diffuse and slightly wispy.
25/1/2025: Hyphal networks become denser, with clearly visible white, cottony structures expanding in a circular pattern. Some plates show more vigorous colonization.
31/1/2025: Mature mycelium covers a significant portion of the plate, with thick, uniform coverage and clearly defined margins. The colony exhibits typical features of basidiomycete growth: radial symmetry and aerial hyphae giving a slightly fuzzy appearance near the center.
To initiate mycelial growth observation, both the scalpel and the Pleurotus eryngii were sterilized using ethanol to minimize contamination. Using the sterilized scalpel, I carefully excised a central core section from the fruiting body—this region typically contains dense, viable hyphae. The extracted tissue was immediately transferred onto a sterile agar medium in a Petri dish. The dish was sealed with parafilm to maintain sterility and placed inside a laminar flow hood to ensure a contaminant-free environment. The culture was incubated at a controlled temperature of 25 °C to promote optimal mycelial development.