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Abstract: Three ways are known by which pure cultures of mushrooms may be obtained : production of tissue-, multiple spores and monospore cultures. Whichever of these methods is chosen, after propagation of the mycelium obtained and verification of the cropping value of the culture, the practical spawnmaker has to decide how to ensure the maintenance of the properties of the well proved variety. Some laboratories stick to the original tested culture and by regular transfers, made in unlimited numbers keep it in culture for years or even decades. Others transfer the original culture only several times and renew the variety thereafter from the spores or "tissue" of one fruit-body grown from the original culture. A transitory solution of the problem is offered by the procedure, in which (in case of spore-cultures) the original spore print is stored and the identity of the cultures ensured by periodically germinating a part of it, with the practically complete elimination of transfers. The maintenance of the original culture by regular transfers made in unlimited numbers is a simple procedure and very advantageous for spawnmaking laboratories working with many (10-20) varieties. This practice is discredited however by the "belief" widespread among some of the spawnmakers, following the work of Kligman (9), that in case of such a practice the varieties tend to "degenerate", i.e. to progressively decrease their fruiting capacity and as a result to lose their cropping value.
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