Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) were investigated as a partial substitution for agar in growth media for wood decay fungi. Radial growth measurements of eight basidiomycete fungi were taken on solid growth media with and without CNFs. Additionally, fungal strain virulence was evaluated using the European CSN Standard EN 113-2 wood decay durability test. The inclusion of CNFs did not significantly affect fungal growth rates on media or in wood decay tests. Rheological evaluations showed that gels from standard malt extract agar were significantly stronger and stiffer than those prepared by a two-thirds substitution of agar with CNFs. However, CNFs were found to add additional stiffness with one-third of the standard amount of agar compared to agar only growth. The solid growth media produced with CNFs appear to be adequately strong and stiff for fungal radial growth and manipulation for wood decay experiments but has some challenges in terms of mixing and processing.

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