You are correct, with this method there is no need for spores which can also introduce different genetics from your current strain. This way we are essentially capturing the 2 sets of DNA that are present within that current snapshot of the species.

We go a different route. Instead we boil and soak our whole oat kernels and then put them through the autoclave. We achieve our desired hydration rate before sterilization, once that proper percentage is achieved it then goes through a 35 minute sterilization cycle above 250F. For our whole oat we boil in a kettle for 20-24 minutes depending on the kettle and this achieves around 55-60% hydration amount. Oats can be pushed but with all grain we want to avoid bursting and oversaturating the grain so some tweaking with your setup and times may be in order but percentage is the key. Different setups but i hope this helps.

Lime it up!! Hope it works out they have been a tough cookie to crack.

That is some good news to try and influence more people to create American made mushrooms so to say. Maybe they also just need an American Made sticker rather than isolating a pure state as it is still fairly rare for a company to be doing all of it in house.

Yes, if you isolate spores from a fruiting body than you have technically reset the strain. With spores we get a whole new fresh set of DNA restarting the process of senescence. If you were to clone a fruiting body than the degradation already in place would carry over as we are not resetting the genetic material.

Phillipe Kenny You are correct, my apologies. It is the 3T bags for our spawn. We were just recently talking 3B as an experiment for cordyceps or other strains for more airflow and I mixed it up.

David Medlock yep, we are still experimenting with that idea but that is the goal.

David Medlock For saprobic fungi, it seems more based on the total linear growth in our cases. This is why cryo is so important so that we can "capture" the fungi early on in its total linear growth.

We are looking into it! Thank you for such amazing enthusiasm!!

David Medlock in our experience we are simply going off the amount of transfers rather than actual linear total growth. I haven't seen any studies looking at total linear length only people looking a subsequent generations. Yes, the transfers themselves are not the issue and it is a matter of total growth from spore. This is also general in what we have seen and people online. The interesting thing is that in some strains of cordyceps people have had double digit transfers and encountered zero degradation. Which opens the door to what is causing the degradation? Is it linear growth from spore, transfers causing a reset of growth, or just a genetic trigger that can be bred out or examined. I like the way your mind is operating, and this is a world we are hoping to explore one day as the true mechanism behind cordyceps degradation is unknown. Great discussion!!