# Mycoponics: Controlled Bioproduction Utilizing Biophysical, Solid‐State, Liquid Nutrient Delivery

## TL;DR

Mycoponics is a new biotech method using antimicrobial ceramics to grow mushrooms and mycelium more efficiently than traditional methods.

## Contribution

Introduces mycoponics, a novel antimicrobial solid-state/liquid nutrient delivery system for mycelial bioproduction.

## Key findings

- Mycoponics reduced colonization time by 9 days and increased biomass by 170% with activated carbon.
- Mycoponic cultivation enabled direct 3D mycomaterials like Reishi mycoleather gloves.
- The method eliminates the need for grain-spawn and fruiting phases, cutting production time significantly.

## Abstract

Mycoponic biotechnology, inspired by hydroponics—a vital technology for agriculture research and space exploration, is limited by innate substrate contamination commonplace in commercial mycoproduction. Using micro‐structured ceramic tubes as “substrate,” mycoponics provides mycelial cellular filaments with an air‐phase/solid‐state, antimicrobial interface for cellular liquid nutrient media uptake. We show how antimicrobial biophysical size exclusion facilitates mycoponic “persistent‐filtration‐defense” (PFD), experimentally confirmed using flow cytometry, and electron microscopic analysis of the interfacial ceramic pores (less than 300 nm). The antimicrobial mycoponic interface enabled development of a complete mycoponic nutrient medium, producing blue oyster mushrooms from liquid culture 2 weeks post inoculation. This completely eliminates grain‐spawn (2–4 weeks) and fruiting phase (2–4 weeks) times using granular substrate bags that require energy/time‐intensive antimicrobial processing. Mycelial colonization times decreased by 9 days, while biomass increased (170%) with activated carbon inside the tubes. Mycoponic cultivation of Reishi mycoleather gloves demonstrates direct 3D‐mycomaterials, and we show how mycoponics enables advanced scientific imaging (thermal) and techniques, including mycelial exudate recovery for drug discovery. Mycoponics enables hybrid solid‐state, liquid culture for continuous bioproduction of mycelial pharmaceuticals, representing 18% of the global market. The efficiency and extended cultivation enabled by mycoponics will facilitate significant future advances in mycology and mycoengineering.

Mycoponic biotechnology, inspired by hydroponics—is enabled by antimicrobial ceramics as “substrate,” using a complete mycoponic media for continuous bioproduction of mycelial and mushroom products. Applications include food, mycoleather, and mycopharmaceuticals, representing 18% of the global market. The efficiency and extended cultivation time enabled by mycoponics facilitates future advances in mycology and mycoengineering.