Study on some biological characteristics of the albino strain of medicinal fungus Cordyceps militaris isolated in Vietnam

Abstract

Cordyceps militaris is one of the important medicinal fungi in traditional medicine. The fruiting body of C. militaris contains various bioactive compounds that have health-enhancing effects and support the treatment of various diseases. Therefore, this fungus is a potential source of medicinal materials for the development of healthcare products. The search for new strains of C. militaris with high yield, quality, and uniqueness is always of great interest. This study has provided new findings on some biological characteristics of an albino strain of C. militaris isolated in Vietnam. The albino strain of C. militaris SHBTQ was isolated and accurately identified based on morphological characteristics and the ITS (internal transcribed spacer) sequence of ribosomal DNA. The mycelial of C. militaris SHBTQ is white and remains stable for five successive generations. The most suitable carbon and nitrogen sources for the growth of the albino SHBTQ strain were sucrose and yeast extract, respectively. Notably, the SHBTQ strain is capable of forming fruiting bodies, with an average fresh fruiting body yield of 30 g/box, a biological efficiency of 12.2%, and a cordycepin content of 10.45 mg/g of dried fruiting bodies. This newly discovered strain offers great potential for further applications in production.