Paecilomyces bainier 229-7 was obtained after UV irradiation for 8 min in the presence of 0.4% LiCl and selection on potato dextrose media containing 30 mg/mL saponin from Panax notoginseng leaves (SPNL). The mutant produces ginsenoside Rd from ginsenoside Rb1 with a bioconversion rate as high as