• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.307-314
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• 2011

Cordyceps (vegetable wasp and plant worm), an entomopathogenic fungi, has been used as a herbal medicine in Asian countries since ancient times. Cordyceps nutans is common but there is little research on this species. This study investigated the optimal culture conditions of C. nutans and the inhibitory effect on nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 cell treated culture broth. The optimal conditions for the mycelial growth were $25^{\circ}C$ and pH 7.0-8.0. Mycelial growth was highest on mushroom complete medium (MCM), V8 juice agar (V8A), and yeast malt dextrose (YMD) medium. Mycelial growth on mushroom minimal medium (MMM) did not occur, so nutrient source was essential. Dextrose and sucrose as carbon sources, and ammonium citrate as a nitrogen source were satisfactory for mycelial growth. Cytotoxicity of C. nutans culture broth was not found in RAW 264.7 cells. C. nutans culture broth suppressed NO production of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cell in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, our results provided the optimal conditions for cultivation of C. nutans and showed that C. nutans may have excellent physiological activities.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.94-105
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• 1993

The genus Cordyceps known as an insect parasite forms a sclerotium in insect bodies and then produces perithecia on the single or multiple stromata produced from sclerotium. Collected Cordyceps were identified into 5 species: Cordyceps militaris, C. nutans, Cordyceps sphecocephala, Isaria japonica, and Torrubiella sp. The fruit bodies of Cordyceps in petri-dish cover were fixed by tape and put the lid on water agar plates to isolate these collected Cordyceps. The germinated spores were transferred from water agar to Potato dextrose agar(PDA) after six hours. Mycelial growth of C. nutans and C. militaris was the most successful on Hamada media and was also good on Complete media and PDA. Mannose as a carbon source was good for two species and Glutamic acid as a nitrogen source was satisfactory to C. militaris and Asparagine gave a good result to C. nutans. C. militaris and C. nutans showed similar mycelial growth rate on the media that contained thiamine-HCI, biotine or nicotinic acid as a vitamine. When conidia of C. nutans were inoculated to insects, mortality was high in Artogeia napi L, Hemiptera, Plutella xylostella and 50% in Orthoptera, 12% in Acantholyda posticalise M, but not Agelastica coerulea B. in Aphididae, C. nutans was collected from only Hemiptera in nature, but killing effect on other insects was proved. Mycelial growth and fruit-body formation were good on the media that consist of rice powder 5g, wheat flour 5g, water 100ml, but formed fruit-body was not complete stromata but a mass of conidia according to results of observing microscope.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.23 no.1 s.72
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• pp.92-104
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• 1995

Ten species of Cordyceps species were collected throughout Kangwon province including Chuncheon Dongsanmyun KNU forest experiment from June to September, 1993. Collected Cordyceps species were identified as Cordyceps militaris, C. roseostromata, C. kyushuensis, C. scarabaeicola, Phytocordyceps ninchukiospora, C. nutans, Paecilomyces tenuipes, C. sphecocephala, Hymenostilbe odonatae, Torrubiella sp.. C. militaris, type species of Cordyceps species, was mainly formed on pupae of Lepidoptera and found after the rainy season around July. Fruiting body of C. roseostromata was morphologically similar to those of C. militaris, but relatively small in size and they were also found on lawn or pupa of Lepidoptera. Fruiting body of C. scarabaeicola was found on adult Scarabaeidae specifically and collect fruiting bodies of C. kyushuensis were on larva of moth. C. nutans and C. sphecocephala had host specificity on Hemiptera and Hymenoptera, respectively. Each species formed elliptical fertile part attach to the slim and carneous stalk and they were collected the most in specimen number through whole season of the summer. Ascospore of Phytocordyceps ninchukiospora on seed was characterized by two viable, multiseptate, fusiform units linked end-to-end by a long, filiform connective. Paecilomyces tenuipes, imperfect stage of the genus Cordyceps is multi-infective fungi that attack all stages of all groups of insects. Hymenostilbe odonatae attacks only adult Odonata and Torrubiella sp. formed on spider was difficult to collect because it was found the back side of leaf. As results of cultural test PDA medium showed the best mycelial growth. In the experiment of effect of the acidity inside of the media, C. militaris was good on pH 5, C. nutans and Phytocordyceps ninchukiospora were good on pH 6 and Paecilomyces tenuipes was on pH 7 and C. scarabaeicola was on pH 9. All isolates tested showed the best mycelial growth at $20^{\circ}C$. Morphologically similar isolates were used to analyze protein banding pattern among and within species. As a result, C. militaris, C. roseostromata and C. kyushuensis were clustered into close species and C. scarabaeicola and Phytocordyceps ninchukiospora were relatively distant from those species.