Diversity evaluation of Cordyceps spp. in Bidoup Nui Ba, Lam Dong province, Vietnam

Abstract

Cordyceps have been known for various functional and valuable human health components such as: cordycepin, adenosine, and hydroxyethyl adenosine which led to high demand for their usage. There were more than 680 species of Cordyceps in the world. However, Cordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris were the two most studied species, by these results, created pressure to look for other species that have at least similar functions or even better than Cordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris. With that objective, diversity understanding was the initial step implemented. 20 specimens of Cordyceps spp. were collected from Bidoup Nui Ba. Those samples were examined for morphology such as fertile head size, stroma length, host weight, and length with microscopic for the sharp Perithecia, Asci, and Ascospore. Then those specimens were extracted DNA with the CTAB method for the PCR cycle with ITS5/ITS4 primers. PCR products were sequenced to get data for building a phylogenetic tree. Based on the finding of morphology, there were three samples of Cordyceps sphecocephala, which were parasitic on Hymenoptera and 17 samples of Cordyceps nutans which were parasitic on Hemiptera. Molecular phylogeny analyses of ITS supported the morphology results by dividing 20 samples into two clades, similar to what was found by morphology with high bootstrap support.