INONOTUS OBLIQUUS (CHAGA) AS A PROMISING OBJECT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY: IN VITRO CULTIVATION AND COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF NUTRIENT MEDIA

A study is being conducted at the Laboratory of Plant Biology and Biotechnology of Sarsen Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University aimed at introducing the fungus Inonotus obliquus (chaga) into in vitro culture and studying the characteristics of its growth on different nutrient media. Chaga is a widely known medicinal macromycete traditionally used in the folk medicine of the northern regions of Eurasia and in recent years has attracted increasing interest as a source of biologically active compounds.

The work is carried out by Junior Researcher Alexey Gladyshev and is aimed at developing a laboratory approach to obtaining a stable culture of Inonotus obliquus under in vitro conditions, as well as conducting a comparative assessment of the influence of nutrient media composition on the intensity of mycelial growth. The study forms a methodological basis for further biotechnological developments, including the production of mycelial biomass and the study of the metabolic activity of the fungus.

The research methodology includes the step-by-step introduction of the isolate into an in vitro culture followed by the stabilization of the mycelium through a series of subcultures. The experimental part involves cultivating a pure strain of Inonotus obliquus on several variants of solid nutrient media under controlled temperature and light conditions. Mycelial growth is evaluated based on the dynamics of radial colony expansion over a defined cultivation period.

The practical significance of the work lies in creating a scientific basis for developing resource-saving and environmentally safe biotechnological approaches to cultivating chaga outside natural ecosystems. The data obtained during the study can be used in developing technologies for producing fungal biomass and biologically active substances, as well as for reducing anthropogenic pressure on natural populations of Inonotus obliquus.

The work is carried out within the framework of priority areas in the development of biotechnology.