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Type: Article
Published: 2016-07-20
Page range: 135–144
Abstract views: 25
PDF downloaded: 27

Calcarisporium cordycipiticola sp. nov., an important fungal pathogen of Cordyceps militaris

State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 3 Park 1, Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, P.R. China Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, School of Science, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, Thailand
State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 3 Park 1, Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, P.R. China
State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 3 Park 1, Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, P.R. China
Guizhou Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biotechnology, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guiyang 550006, P.R. China
Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, Thailand
Fungicolous fungi Hyphomycetes Caterpillar fungus Ascomycota Medicinal mushroom

Abstract

Production of the medicinal and edible fungus Cordyceps militaris has dramatically increased in China because of its alleged medicinal properties. During industrial production, a fungal parasite was found to infect the fruiting bodies causing significant quality and yield losses. Two isolates were obtained from fruiting bodies of C. militaris in Beijing and Shanghai mushroom farms and were characterized by morphological and phylogenetic analyses of SSU and ITS sequence data. The phylogenetic analyses showed that they belong to the genus Calcarisporium and are related to the type species, C. arbuscula with 91% ITS sequence similarity. We introduce this taxon as Calcarisporium cordycipiticola sp. nov., and compare it morphologically with other taxa in the genus. The interaction between this taxon, its host, and methods to control this fungicolous taxon need further studies.