The effect of polymorphism on fruiting body and cordycepin production of Cordyceps militaris

Abstract:

In order to screen and breed the strain with high fruiting body and cordycepin production, this study aims to investigate the effect of polymorphism on fruiting body and cordycepin production of C. militaris. Three progeny population were isolated from wild fruitbody of C. militaris, cultural characteristics of ascospores and fruitbody-producing ability were observed, and determined Cordycepin content in fruitbody and medium by HPLC. The results showed that the strains with colony reverse color of orange chrome could produce fruiting body easily. The sector mutation proportion of the strain produce few or no fruiting body. The shape and microstructure of fruiting body produced by original strain were similar to the wild strain in the nature. The original strain produced more fruiting body and cordycepin than the strains isolated from sector mutation proportion and the other parts without sector mutation. These results demonstrated the effect of polymorphism on fruiting body and cordycepin production of C. militaris.