Low-cost and low maintenance preservation of Agaricus brasiliensis cultures.

Agaricus brasiliensis cultures quickly lose viability when stored at cool temperatures, even for a short period of time. We evaluated several low-cost preservation methods using varied substrates, preservation solutions, and storage temperatures. Agaricus brasiliensis was intolerant to freezing temperatures, making liquid nitrogen use and deep-freezing methods impossible for its preservation. The best preservation conditions for the A. brasiliensis CS1 strain tested in this study were obtained by using rice as substrate and water as preservation solution, with storage at room temperature or when using soil, mushroom cultivation compost, or rice and stored at 10 °C without preservation solution. Those cultures that were reactivated showed the same productivity attributes as the control. In addition, no effect on productivity or biological efficiency was observed through successive subculturing of the strain (CS1). Parboiled rice was successfully used for other A. brasiliensis strains (CS2, CS5, CS7, CS9, and CS10), and also for Pleurotus ostreatus, P. sajor-caju, and Lentinula edodes.