AI Helps Speed Up Mushroom Growth in Russia
Researchers in Russia are using artificial intelligence to fine-tune lab conditions for growing mushrooms—an experiment that could help preserve biodiversity.
At Kaluga State University, scientists have completed the first stage of a unique experiment under the ‘Kaluga Ark’ project. The initiative aims to preserve regional biodiversity through microcloning—a method that allows researchers to grow and maintain rare plant and fungal species in controlled environments.
The university’s microcloning laboratory has been experimenting with artificial intelligence to adjust the composition of nutrient media for cultivating mushroom mycelium. Early results impressed the researchers: the AI-optimized environments significantly changed the growth rate of oyster mushrooms compared to control samples. To confirm these findings, the team plans to continue the experiments in the coming months.
The collected specimens, developed in collaboration with the Ugra National Park, will be stored in test tubes with specially prepared nutrient media. The ‘Kaluga Ark’ project represents a key step toward creating a living collection of rare and protected species from across the planet.
