From: soilfoodweb@aol.com
Date: Thu Mar 13 2003 - 15:21:51 EST
Typically, the spores germinate a the fungus starts to grow out as hyphae in
the tea. The fungus is increasing in biomass, but not truly "reproducing" as
people tend to think about that process. The fungus does not go through
sexual reproduction, and neither does it sporulate and thus reproduce in that
fashion in the tea. Instead we get an increase in biomass of the fungus,
because it grows out as the hyphae.
Thus, in the tea, the fungus goes from spores to active, living hyphae. It
goes from a few micrometers to hundreds of micrometers in 24 hours. That
increased biomass can now be spread out across much more area than it could
have been before.
Sorry if I confused you before. The difference we are talking about can be
best explained by an example. People reproduce by having babies. But we
grow larger by adding weight, growing taller, just like fungi in tea growing
more fungal hyphae, expanding in size, not through reproduction.
Hope this helps!
Elaine
President, Soil Foodweb Inc.
www.soilfoodweb.com
SFI Oregon, USA
SFI Australia
SFI New York
SFI Europe
SFI New Zealand
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