ABSTRACT:

Pythiaceous fungi were isolated from irrigation water using a variety of natural and artificial baits. Isolates were also obtained by plating water samples directly on the surface of selective agar media. The selective medium of Ocana and Tsaq (1966) PlOVP, was modified by substituting rifampicin and ampicillin (10 and 500 g cm3 respectively) for vancomycin to suppress bacterial growth from water samples. The pythiaceous fungi were identified as Pythiitm dissotocitm, P. middletonii, P. mamillatum, P. rostratum, Pythiumgroup 1, group 2 and group 3 and Phytophtbom gona-podyides. All isolates of P. gonapodyides were the A1 strain and produced oospores when paired with an A2 isolate of P. drechsleri. Isolates were tested for their pathogenicity to Antirrhinum, tomato Chatmaecyparis lawsoniana cv. Ellwoodii. Pythium middletonii and Pythiumgroup 1 caused severe pre-emergence damping-off of Antirrhinum seedlings, P. mamillatuni, P. rostratum and Pythiumgroup 3 were less pathogenic to the same host while P. dissotocum, Pythiumgroup 2 and Phytophthora gonapodyides were non-pathogenic. Only isolates of Pythiumgroup 1 were pathogenic to tomato seedlings. None of the fungi was pathogenic to rooted cuttings of Chamaecyparis lawsoniana cv. Ellwoodii.

INTRODUCTION OF FUNGI:
The Kingdom Fungi includes some of the most important organisms, both in terms of their ecological and economic roles. By breaking down dead organic material, they continue the cycle of nutrients through ecosystems. In addition, most vascular plants could not grow without the symbiotic fungi, or mycorrhizae, that inhabit their roots and supply essential nutrients. Other fungi provide numerous drugs (such as penicillin and other antibiotics), foods like mushrooms, truffles and morels, and the bubbles in bread champagne, and beer. Fungi also cause a number of plant and animal diseases: in humans, ringworm, athlete's foot, and several more serious diseases are caused by fungi. Because fungi are more chemically and genetically similar to animals than other organisms, this makes fungal diseases very difficult to treat. Plant

diseases caused by fungi include rusts, smuts, and leaf, root, and stem rots, and may cause severe damage to crops. However, a number of fungi, in particular the yeasts, are important "model organisms" for studying problems in genetics and molecular biology.

Characteristics of Fungi:
Some of the characteristics of fungi are:

The non-motile cells belong to the kingdom Fungi. The cell walls of these non-motile cells are made of chitin. Fungi are heterotrophic organisms. The only difference between other heterotrophic animals and fungi is that fungi digest and then ingest the food. Fungi releases enzymes on the body of the other living things and thrive on them. There is no embryonic stage for fungi. A fungus develops from spores, and are both sexual and asexual. Though most of the fungi are single cellular, most of the fungi species grow as multi-cellular filaments called hyphae. The hyphae form a mycelium. An interesting characteristic of fungi is that like a plant, fungi too have an alternation of generations. The cytoplasmic ultrastructure of fungi is similar to plant cells. However, they differ significantly in their structures and their organelles. The fungi store their food in the form of glycogen. The cell membrane of a fungus has a unique sterol and ergosterol. Many of the fungi have a small nuclei with repetitive DNA. Mitosis takes place without dissolution of the nuclear envelop.

Fungal Nutrition:

ALL fungi are CHEMOHETEROTROPHIC (chemo-organotrophic) synthesising the organic compounds they need for growth and energy from pre-existing organic sources in their environment, using the energy from chemical reactions. Since their protoplasm is protected by a rigid wall, fungi must obtain their nutrients by the process of ABSORPTION. SMALL MOLECULES (e.g. simple sugars, amino acids) in solution can be absorbed directly across the fungal wall and plasma membrane. LARGER, MORE COMPLEX MOLECULES (e.g. polymers such as polysaccharides and proteins) must be first broken down into smaller molecules, which can then be absorbed. This degradation takes place outside the fungal cell or hypha and is achieved by enzymes which are either released through or are bound to the fungal wall. Because these enzymes act outside the cell they are called EXTRACELLULAR ENZYMES. Since water is essential for the diffusion of extracellular enzymes and nutrients across the fungal wall and plasma membrane, actively growing fungi are usually restricted to relatively moist (or humid) environments.

Growth forms:
Many of us are familiar with the appearance of mushrooms and toadstools. But these structures are simply the large, macroscopic fruiting bodies produced by some groups of fungi. The actively growing and reproductive structures of most species are microscopic, and although most fungi are mycelial (filamentous), there are some exceptions to this growth form.

Mycelial (filamentous) Unicellular and primitively branched Chytrids Yeasts (unicellular) Dimorphism

Mycelial (filamentous):

Most fungi are composed of microscopic filaments called HYPHAE, which branch to eventually form a network of hyphae, called a MYCELIUM (colony). The mycelium extends over or through whatever substrate the fungus is using as a source of food. Each hypha is essentially a tube, containing PROTOPLASM surrounded by a RIGID WALL. Depending upon the species, the protoplasm may form a continuous, uninterrupted mass running the length of the branching hyphae, or the protoplasm may be interrupted at intervals by cross-walls called SEPTA. Septa divide up hyphae into individual discrete cells or interconnected HYPHAL COMPARTMENTS. Hyphae exhibit APICAL GROWTH (i.e. they elongate at their tips) and, at least in theory, are capable of growing indefinately, provided that environmental conditions remain favourable for growth. In reality, of course, their environment eventually limits or restricts their growth.

Hyphae may initially develop from a GERM-TUBE (a short, immature hypha) that emerges from a germinating spore. Spores are the microscopic dispersal or survival propagules produced by many species of fungi. Although most fungi are mycelial (filamentous), the following represent exceptions to this growth form:

Unicellular and primitively branched Chytrids (Chytridiomycota):

Fungi belonging to the Chytridiomycota exist as either single round cells (unicellular species) or primitively branched chains of cells. In either case, the fungus may be anchored to its substrate by structures called RHIZOIDS.

Yeasts (unicellular):
Yeasts, which are used in a variety of commercially important fermentation processes (e.g. bread-making, brewing beers and wines), are capable of reproducing asexually and sexually.

Yeasts reproduce asexually by either: 1. BUDDING (e.g. Saccharomyces cerevisiae), or 2. BINARY FISSION (splitting into two equal halves; e.g. Schizosaccharomyces pombe).

Dimorphism (i.e. existing in two forms):

Some fungi are capable of alternating between a mycelial growth form and a unicellular yeast phase. This change in growth form is often in response to some change in environmental conditions. This phenomenon is exhibited by several species of fungi that are pathogenic in humans, e.g. Paracoccidioides brasiliensis.

Classification of Fungi:

Importance of Fungi:
Fungi are important because they are:

agents of biodegradation and biodeterioration responsible for the majority of plant diseases and several diseases of animals (including humans) used in industrial fermentation processes used in the commercial production of many biochemicals cultured commercially to provide us with a direct source of food used in bioremediation

Bibliography:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungus www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/fungi/fungi.html www.wisc-online.com/viewobject.aspx?id=bio304

2012
Jinnah University for Women BOTANY

Prepared By: Syeda Tehseen Zehra Class:

BS Part 1

Submitted To:
Miss Parveen Anjum

Topic:
Fungi