SOME BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF Cordyceps militaris (L.: Fr.) Fr. (Ascomycota) MUSHROOM AS PRODUCER OF MEDICINAL SUBSTANCES

Results of the study on growth and morphological peculiarities of valuable medicinal mushroom Cordyceps militaris from the culture collection of mushrooms of Kholodny Institute of Botany of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine are given. Using the method of scanning electron microscopy, the micro-morphological structures specific to this species were studied. This allows identifying this species in pure culture. Culture-morphological studies were performed on four agar nutrient media. Glucosepeptone-yeast agar medium, malt agar extract and incubation temperature of 16 °C were the most favorable for the vegetative growth of all the tested strains. Temperature of 36 °C is critical. Maximal growth of C. militaris was observed at pH 6.0?6.5. The optimal sources of carbon for vegetative mycelium growth were glucose, lactose and sucrose, whereas peptone and yeast extract were the best sources of nitrogen. Light irradiation of different nature stimulated the radial growth in agar media and accumulation of their biomass in liquid ones.