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Mushroom spores are commonly used by scientists and amateur mycologist for their laboratory research, as well as by mushroom growers.

However, if you plan to purchase and use spores, you will have to be aware of their vulnerability and of the high risk of contamination. One can safely say that mushroom spore contamination is as inevitable as taxes and death.

That’s why, in the first place, you will have to make sure that you purchase preferred bulk mushroom spores from a reputable manufacturer, who has many happy clients. This is the best sign that it does a flawless work when it comes to gathering and preserving spores.

But that’s not all! Once you have purchased your spores, you will have to make sure that you do not leave them unattended and that you store them properly.  This is the only way to preserve their properties and use them for as long as possible.

These are the main enemies of the mushroom spores:

Trichoderma

Trichoderma is a mold that can be easily recognized by its vibrant blue-green color. It is very difficult to contain and causes a soft decay in the mushroom mycelium.

Bacillus Spp

Bacillus Spp is a form of bacterial contamination that typically attacks the substrate used for inoculating the spores, especially grains.  This is why many mushroom growers soak the grains in water, the night before going them through the pressure-cooking process, to sterilize them completely.

Cobweb mold

This is not exactly a mold species but a closely related group. It is known as causing soft rot in mushrooms.