Effects of various preservation periods and subcultures on fruiting body formation of Cordyceps militaris were investigated using EFCC C-10995 single ascospore strains. Fruiting body formation by original strains was profuse when preserved at 4℃ for 5~6 months. Fruiting from subcultures was stable till second to sixth subcultures, after which it decreased sharply. The more the colony color of subcultures changed, the less the fruiting bodies formed. Liquid inoculum preparation of single ascospore strains in the same or separate broths did not affect fruiting body formation. Similarly, two strains C-10995-3 and C-10995-6 in different numbers during liquid inoculum preparation produced similar fruiting bodies.
Keywords: Cordyceps militaris; Fruiting body production; Original strains; Single ascospore strains; Subcultures.