Carrier Materials for Fusarium

Here is a list of recommended carrier materials for Fusarium oxysporum and similar fungal inoculants used in agarwood resin induction. These carriers help deliver the fungi efficiently into the tree’s vascular system and support optimal colonization:

✅ Recommended Carrier Materials for Fusarium oxysporum Inoculants

1. Molasses-Based Liquid Medium

  • Composition: Diluted molasses + distilled water (1–3% solution)
  • Why It’s Used: Provides sugars that sustain fungal viability; promotes absorption
  • Pros: Cost-effective, biodegradable, and easy to prepare
  • Use Case: Ideal for trunk injection or infusion methods

2. Glycerol or Glycerine Solution

  • Composition: 5–15% glycerol in sterile water
  • Why It’s Used: Acts as a humectant and preservative for fungal spores
  • Pros: Enhances stability during storage; low toxicity to plants
  • Use Case: Suitable for long-distance transport or multi-day application

3. Potato Dextrose Broth (PDB)

  • Composition: Potato extract + dextrose + water
  • Why It’s Used: Rich in nutrients to support fungal growth pre-injection
  • Pros: Promotes active mycelial development
  • Use Case: Laboratory-prepared liquid inoculants; not always practical in the field

4. Sterile Water + Surfactant (e.g., Tween 20)

  • Composition: Water + 0.01–0.05% Tween 20
  • Why It’s Used: Helps break surface tension and enhances fungal dispersion in tree tissues
  • Pros: Simple, cheap, and improves penetration into vascular tissues
  • Use Case: Injection-ready formulation for direct use

5. Rice Bran or Corn Starch Gel (for paste-based applications)

  • Composition: Cooked starch or bran in water, cooled and inoculated with spores
  • Why It’s Used: Holds spores in a thickened medium; slowly releases fungi
  • Pros: Useful in wound-based inoculation (e.g., drilled holes or bark slits)
  • Use Case: Manual application or plugging techniques

6. Vermiculite or Sawdust (Solid Carriers – for plug systems)

  • Composition: Moist vermiculite or finely ground wood soaked with fungal culture
  • Why It’s Used: Solid matrix holds spores, useful for slow release into wound sites
  • Pros: Extended shelf life, useful for large-scale plug inoculations
  • Use Case: Field inoculation blocks or solid inoculant sticks

Best Practices

  • Ensure sterility of the carrier to prevent contamination
  • Match carrier viscosity to your injection system (manual syringe, pressurized, or infusion)
  • Keep pH between 5.5–7 to maintain fungal viability
  • For storage, refrigerate liquid carriers (4–10°C) for up to 2 weeks
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