Abstract
To develop techniques to produce stromata of Cordyceps militaris (L.) Link on a large scale, the silkworm, Bombyx mori, was infected and the growth of stroma was investigated. The 5th instar larvae and the pupae of the silkworm reared in a sterilized indoor environment on an artificial diet and were inoculated with C. militaris by spraying, dipping, or by hypodermic injection. The rate of infection differed among the three methods; the highest being in the hypodermic injection. The rate of infection was also higher in the pupae than in the larvae. The formation and growth of the stromata were better in the silkworm pupae. A conidial suspension was injected at different sites on the pupal body. Infection rates, however, did not differ significantly among the sites. The formation and growth of the stromata were not affected by the injection site either.
