Inoculum 56(4) - Mycological Society of America

Fig. 4. C. longissima
Cordyceps species are collected from different parts
of Korea every year from early May to late October.
Cordyceps species, such as C. militaris (Fig. 1), C. pruinosa
and C. sphecocephala are frequently collected,
while C. bifusispora (Fig. 2), C gracilis (Fig. 3), C. heteropoda,
C. longissima (Fig. 4), C. nakazawai, C.
ochraceostromata, C. pentatomi, C. ramosopulvinata
(Fig. 5), C. rosea, C. scarabaeicola, C. staphylinidaecola
and C. yakushimensis are moderate or rare in distribution.
Ascospores are discharged from fresh specimens
and observed for their morphology and germination by
staining with cotton blue in Lactophenol. Ascospores are
inoculated in nutrient agar media in test-tubes and incubated
till profuse mycelium growth occurs. Original isolates
and their sub-cultures are preserved at 4C in Entomopathogenic
Fungal Culture Collection (EFCC),
Kangwon National University, South Korea. Specimens
are air-dried and preserved in herbarium boxes.
4 Inoculum 56(4), August 2005
Fig. 5. C. ramosopulvinata
It is very interesting to observe ascospore morphology
and their germination behavior of different Cordyceps
species. Among the observed species, only few
such as C. bifusispora and C. pruinosa produced filamentous
ascospores with threads in the center, while the
remaining produced filamentous ascospores with continuous
part-spores throughout the length. The germination
rate of C. bifusispora, C. militaris, C. pentatomi, C.
pruinosa, C. scaraebaeicola, C. staphylinidaecola were
found faster, while those of C. gracilis, C. heteropoda,
C. longissima, C. nakazawai, C. ochraceostromata, C.
ramosopulvinata, C. rosea, C. sphecocephala, C.
yakushimensis were found shower. Microscopic figures
of ascospores are shown in sides of each figure of different
Cordyceps species. C. militaris and C. pruinosa
developed conidia on germinating hyphae soon, showing
microcyclic conidiation character. Cordyceps isolates
vary in their growth speed and cultural characteristics.
Stromata of different Cordyceps species, such as
C. militaris, C. scarabaeicola, C. pruinosa have been
successfully produced in brown rice medium.
References: Kobayasi, Y. 1941., Sci. Rept. Tokyo.
Bunrika, Daigaku Sect. B. 5:53-260; Kobayasi, Y.
1982. Trans. Mycol. Soc. Japan. 23:329-364; Kobayasi,
Y. and D. Shimizu. 1983. Hoikusha Publishing Company
Ltd. Osaka. 280 pp.; Sung, J.M. 1996. Kyo-Hak
Publishing Co. Ltd., Seoul. 299 pp.; Sung, J.M. 2004.
Inoculum 55(4):1-3.
Questions or comments should be sent to
Jae-Moe Sung, Entomopathogenic Fungal
Culture Collection (EFCC), Department of
Applied Biology, Kangwon National University,
Chuncheon 200-701, South Korea.
Email: cordyceps@nate.com.