Biofilm treatment of composite materials containing mycelium
The process provides a biofilm including and not limited to cellulose produced by bacteria that can be used as a bio-resin and as a surface application for myceliated and non-myceliated biomaterials. In one embodiment, the process comprises the steps of obtaining an agricultural substrate; and cohabitating a selected bacteria with a selected fungus in the agricultural substrate for a period of time to allow the bacteria to grow alongside the fungus and to excrete a biofilm from the bacteria into the substrate to provide bio-resin like strengthening compounds to the agricultural substrate.
1. A process of producing a bacterial antimicrobial in situ comprising the steps of:
inoculating 100 ml of a lysogeny broth media with one colony of Streptomyces natalensis to form a culture;
growing the culture at 37° C. to mid log phase;
co-inoculating 600 g of agricultural substrate with 100 ml of said mid log culture and <20% v/v fungal inoculum;
incubating the co-inoculated substrate at room temperature for 6 days; and
heating the incubated co-inoculated substrate to terminate microbial growth by desiccation.
2. The process as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said fungal inoculum is made from Ganoderma.
3. A process of producing a bacterial antimicrobial comprising the steps of:
inoculating a lysogeny broth media with one colony of bacteria to form a culture;
growing the culture to mid log phase;
co-inoculating an agricultural substrate with said mid log bacterial culture and a fungal inoculum;
incubating the co-inoculated substrate at room temperature; and thereafter heating the incubated co-inoculated substrate to terminate microbial growth by desiccation.
4. The process as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said bacteria is one of Streptomyces natalensis and Streptomyces alboniger.
5. The process as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said step of co-inoculating the agricultural substrate includes:
adding said mid log bacterial culture to the substrate;
incubating the substrate to allow said bacteria to excrete a biofilm into said substrate;
inoculating the substrate with the fungal inoculum; and
incubating the substrate to allow said fungal inoculum to grow a network of interconnected mycelia cells extending through and around discrete particles of the substrate.