The main objectives of this study were to select superior isolates and to produce stable artificial fruit bodies of Cordyceps militaris. A total number of 215 specimens of C. militaris were collected and preserved by Entomopathogenic Fungal Culture Co...
The main objectives of this study were to select superior isolates and to produce stable artificial fruit bodies of Cordyceps militaris. A total number of 215 specimens of C. militaris were collected and preserved by Entomopathogenic Fungal Culture Collection(EFCC) from 9 different sites (including Mt. Sirang in Gangwon-Do) in 2004. 113 strains from 215 specimens were isolated. Out of 113 isolates, only 75 isolates formed artificial fruiting body. We divided these isolates into three groups based on degrees of fruiting body formation. The Biological Efficiency(B.E.) of group A was above 20%(22 isolates). And that of group B was 10~20%(29 isolates), whereas group C showed below 10%(24 isolates). Fruiting body formation of C-12448 strain(group A) with mating of single ascospore(27.29%) were better than multi-spore isolates. Also C-11894 and C-12086 isolates of group B were similar with group A.
The host size of each natural specimens, C-12448, C-11913, C-12434, C-11894 and C-12086 were 14x33㎜, 7×12㎜, 14×29㎜, 9x28㎜ and 7x23㎜, and length of stromata was 39㎜, 22㎜, 38㎜, 35㎜, and 16㎜ respectively.
We studied viability and fruiting body formation of isolates original isolates subcultured sequentially, for eight mating combinations of C-12448, including 4×6 used in subculture experiment. Although viability and fruiting body formation were good in first and second subculture, it fell down rapidly. After it was reproduced by single-spore isolated from fruiting bodies of original isolate, second single-spore from the first isolate was produced and it was further isolated to third single-spore by same method. As a result, the original isolate B.E. 27.75%, followed by 25.15% and 20.9% B.E. by first and second single-spore. However B.E. of third single-spore was drastically reduced to 13.68% in C-12448.
When we couldn't isolate single-spore from excellent original isolate, we produced fruiting body by single-conidium isolated from the original isolate instead of the fruiting body. Thus, it showed 3×4 B.E. 18.32% and 3×6 B.E. 13.67% in C-12448.