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Pink Mold; Red Bread Mold – Neurospora

Commonly to occasionally seen on agar and grain. Neurospora is fast growing, sometimes taking only 24 four hours to totally colonize a media filled petri dish. It is ubiquitous in nature, occurring on dung, in soils and on decaying plant matter. Since this fungus grows through cotton stoppers or filter discs, a single contaminated jar, though sealed, can spread spores to adjacent spawn jars within the laboratory. This condition is more likely if the filter discs or cotton plugs are the least bit damp; or if the external humidity is high. Furthermore, Neurospora spores germinate more readily at elevated temperatures. The pink mold seen in mushroom culture is most frequently Neurospora sitophila, a pernicious contaminant that is difficult to eliminate. All infected cultures should be removed as soon as possible from the laboratory and destroyed. A thorough cleaning of the laboratory is absolutely necessary. If contamination persists, remove all spawn and start anew.

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