Fungal organisms, Fomitopsis pinicola (brown rot) and Ganoderma
lucidum (white rot) were from Ecovative’s strain library but are
also available from the CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre culture
collection (http://www.cbs.knaw.nl/index.php/order). Malt
extract broth (Difco, Becton, Dickinson and Co.) was prepared
and sterilized at 15 psi for 15 min. Inoculated broth was prepared
from each species separately. To inoculate, broth was transferred
to a sterile blender flask and colonized millet inoculum was added
at a rate of 10% (m:m). The inoculated grain was then blended
thoroughly in the malt extract broth for 60 s. Approximately
25 mL of the inoculated broth was transferred to each of six sterile
petri dishes to grow sheets of tissue on broth. Cultures were incubated
at room temperature as fungal sheets developed on the surface.
Sheets of pure tissue were harvested after 23 d of incubation
and washed in deionized water sufficient to remove malt extract
broth.