Biological Characteristics And Fermentation Research Of Cordyceps Militaris

Cordyceps sinensis as a well-known traditional Chinese medicine and health product was widely used in eastern and western countries since 17th century. Cordyceps militaris is a traditional folk medicinal and edible fungus, and it possesses very utilizational value, because of the similar components and pharmacological activity to Cordyceps sinensis. The fact of the particularity of the living conditions and peoples' over-excavation lead to the shortage of fungi's resources, and the high price; and it can't satisfy the huge requirement of the market. So the research on artificial cultivation of Cordyceps militaris becomes focus of medical fungi in great demand.The identification and artificial cultivation of Cordyceps militaris Link were studied on the basis of former work in the paper. It's classification status was confirmed by the mycelia microstructure, fruiting body feature, and ITS gene sequences; the optimal nutrition and environmental conditions with exopolysaccharide and cordycepin as indicators, and the new solid fermentation were studied.It was found that the wild and cultured fungi's fruiting bodies are different in their external forms by the microstructure; the mycelia are septated by many branches, and the sporophores have no any divarication and intumescene at the top, the global or elliptic conidia grow on the sporophores bunchily; all the biological characteristics are similar to that of Penicillium. The linear asci abreast range in the ampullaceous perithecium; there are 8 ascospores in the ascus, and some septums in the ascospores, the conidial fructification is the same as paecilomyces. At the same time, the result of ITS test shows that the comparability between test fungus and cordyceps paecilomyces arrives at 99%.The results of solid culture showed that lactose and soy peptone were the optimal carbon sources and nitrogen sources, the conditions of pH 6.0, 28℃and dark were suitable for the growth of mycelium. In submerged cultivation, glucose and soy peptone were the optimal carbon and nitrogen resourses, and neutral nutrient solution and 28℃were the other optimal conditions. In addition, the very important conclusion was that the content of cordycepin increased highly when we put NH₄⁺ into the solution.At last, the adding of water extracts of 6 different Chinese medicinal herbs to the culture medium, got the achievement of different notable influence on fruiting body yield, polysaccharide and cordycepin content by different treatments.The experimental data we got would provide scientific basis for industrial submerged fermentation of Cordyceps. At the same time, the new solid fermentation of Cordyceps militaris could be a new way which can make new medicines, and there will be a good applying prospect.