for UG and PG Botany..

1. TOPIC:
Economic
importance
of fungi
Name: Ravneet kaur
Class: Msc Botany 3rd sem
UID:150606006

2. CONTENTS
 Introduction
 Advantages of Fungi
 Fungi in industry : Baking and brewing
 Fungi in Medicine
 Synthesis of Enzymes ,Vitamins , Plant growth hormones
 Fungi as food
 Fungi in mycorrhizal associations
 Fungi as biocontrol agents
 Fungi as research tool
 Harmful effects of Fungi
 Spoilage of Food
 Plant , animals and human diseases
 Conclusion
 References

3. INTRODUCTION
 Fungi are eukaryotic , achlorophyllous , heterotrophic
and filamentous or unicellular microorganism ,they
reproduce by formation of spores .
 Fungi are ubiquitous in nature and constitute an
integral part of our biosphere .
 Fungi during early years have been recognized more as
destructive unwanted entities robbing mankind Bread
basket by causing destructive infections .
 There are 5 broad groups within the true fungi . These
include , flagellated lower fungi , sugar decomposing
bread moulds, phosphate solubiling VA fungi , varied
ascomycetes and mushroom forming basidiomycetes .

4. Fungi play an important role in gradual manner, but
constant changes taking place around us because
of their ubiquity and their astonishingly large
numbers. They are responsible for disintegration of
organic matter.
Some of the fungi are important research tools in
the study of fundamental biological processes.
Some of the fungi particularly moulds and yeast
play negative role by causing spoilage of stored
goods such as food stuffs, textiles, leathers, rubber,
plastics, timber and even glass.
INTRODUCTION

5. FUNGI
AS
FRIEND
AND
FOE

6. FUNGI
IN
INDUSTRY  It is obvious that under natural conditions , pure
cultures of fungi are not found and the changes in both
quality and quantity of the fungus flora may occur with
changes in environment.
 In contrast to the fungal activities in external
environment, a number of other fungal activities, if
allowed to take place under properly controlled
conditions, that can be profitably directed towards
man’s benefit .
 Fermentation is the main process through which
different fungi play their important roles.

7. FERMENTATION
 Conversion of carbohydrate e.g. Sugar into acid or
alcohol by yeast or bacteria
 It is used in brewing and wine making for conversion of
sugars to alcohol (ethanol).This process, followed by
distillation, can be used to obtain pure ethanol for use
as a transport biofuel.

8. BEER
MAKING
BY
YEAST

10. STEROIDS
 Organic compounds which have 4 membered ring
arranged in a specific configuration .
 Secreted by adrenal cortex , ovaries ,testes and
placenta .
 Biologically active as Hormones .

11. FUNGIAREUSED
INSTEROID
PRODUCTION
 Discovered by Peterson and Murray (1952) by
producing 11-Hydroxy Progesterone from Rhizopus sp.
 Belongs to all major groups of fungi especially
Actinomycetes .
 Steroid is prepared by fermentation of plant glycolysis
.
 EXAMPLES :
 1. Cortisone – Rhizopus nigricans and Aspergillus niger
 2. 11 alpha Hydroxy Progesteron – Rhizopus nigricans

12. FUNGI as
MEDICINE
FUNGI
IN
MEDICINE

13.  Source : Claviceps purpurea
The fungus is parasitic on grasses , especially Rye .The
disease is called Ergot of Rye .
USES :
 1.Contains alkaloids like Ergometrine , Ergotamine ,
Ergosterol .
 2.To induce Uterine contraction .
 3.To treat menstrual disorders and to check
Haemorrhages .
 4. Used in migraine and as Hallucinogens .
ERGOT

14. EPHEDRINE
 Source : Sachharomyces
cervisiae
 1. Synthesized from
benzaldehyde by the
action of yeasts .
 2.To treat Asthma and
Nasal troubles .

15. ANTIBIOTICS
Penicillium chrysogenum
• Cosmopolitan
• Grow as saprophytes
on decaying fruits and
vegetables
• Can grow artificially in
laboratory
• Source of wonder drug
PENICILLIN

16. 1.DiscoveryofAntibioticsmaderevolutioninthefieldof
Medicine.
2.In1944Alexanderflemingforthefirsttimediscovered
WonderDrugfromafungusPenicilliumnotatum.

17. PENICILLIN
Source : Penicillium chrysogenum
First used successfully to treat infection
caused by a bacteria .
The natural penicillin have a number of
disadvantages. They are destroyed in the
acid stomach and so cannot be used orally
.
They also only act on gram positive
bacteria .

18. Important
Antibiotics -

19. TAXOL
 Fungal Endophyte on Taxus baccata and Taxus
brevifolia (Gymnosperms).
 Fungal Source : Taxomyces andreanae
 Isolated from the phloem (inner bark).
 Highly effective against Breast and Ovarian cancer .

20. Shiitake Mushroom and
commercial extract
Lentinula edodes

21. Chaga
Ancient Russia's age-defying restorative
Dehydrated Hot Water Extract
15% Polysaccharide
2% Betulin and Betulinic
acid
Inonotus obliquus

22. Cordyceps sinensis
16% beta glucan
(polysaccharide),
7% Cordycepic acid, .3%
Adenosine

23. ENZYMES
AND
ENZYMATIC
CONVERSIONS
 Saprotrophic fungi and some plant pathogenic fungi
produce a range of extracellular enzymes with
important commercial roles .
 The pectic enzymes of fungi are used to clarify fruit
juices , a fungal amylase is used to convert starch to
maltose during bread making and a fungal rennet.

24. ENZYME SOURCE USES
Alfa amylase Aspergillus oryzae In making bread, beer and
syrups
Protease Aspergillus flavus oryzae Clearing of beer
Pectinase Aspergillus spp. Retting of fibers
Glucose oxidase Penicillum notatum Remove oxygen from canned
fruits
Invertase Saccharomyces cerevisica Convert sucrose into glucose
and fructose
Lipase Candida lipolytica Preparation of cheese from
pasteurized milk
Cellulase Trichoderma reesli Hydrolysis of cellulose

25. VITAMINS
 An organic compound required by organisms in minute
quantities for growth and reproduction often serve as
enzyme cofactors or parts of cofactors .
 1.Vitamin B complex - Saccharomyces
 2.Vitamin B12 (Riboflavin ) – Eremothemium ashbyi and
Ashbya gossypii
 3.Vitamin A – Rhodotorula gracilis
 4.Vitamin D( Ergrosterol) – Saccharomyces

26. PLANTGROWTH
HORMONES
 Gibberellic acid
 The phant hormone gibberellic acid is obtained from
the culture of Gibberella fujikuroi and Fusarium
moniliforme .
 It is used to induce growth and flowering in plants .

27. SOYASAUCE
 Fungi used :
 Aspergillus oryzae
 Saccharomyces rouxii
 Soya beans are soaked ,
cooked to remove
contaminants , and then
mixed with roasted
wheat .
 The fungus Aspergillus
oryzae is added to the
mix, and the mix kept
aerobically for 20 to 40
hours at 25 C .The
fungus produces
invertase , amylases and
cellulases , which
degrade the soya paste.
FUNGI AS FOOD

28. BLUE
CHEESE  Fungi used –
 Penicillium roquefortii
 The fungus imparts a
strong , pungent flavour
due to the aerobic
production of methyl
ketones . Famous blue
cheese include :
Roquefort , Gorgonzola ,
and Danish blue .

29. E
 MORELS : They belong to genus Morchella and is
popular dish in India .
 PUFFBALLS :They are large , spherical white
fructifications of Clavatia gigantean .They are edible
when young , before maturation and production of
spores .
 TRUFFLES : It is the fruiting body of a subterranean
Ascomycete fungus .Truffles are ectomycorrhizal fungi
and are therefore usually found in close association
with the roots of trees .
 Some of the truffle species are highly prized as a food
in French .
 They are also used for making oil and high quality
vodka .
TRUFFLES

30. Agaricus bisporus
 MUSHROOMS : Fruiting bodies of Basidiomycetes
members , about 2000 sp. Of edible mushrooms .
 They are either harvested wild or cultivated .
 Edibility may be defined by criteria that include
absence of poisonous effects on humans and desirable
taste and aroma .
 Comman edible mushrooms :
 Agaricus bisporus (Button mushrooms )
 Lentinula edodes ( Shiitake mushroom )
 Pleurotus eryngii (King Oyester mushroom)
 Pleurotus djamour (Pink pleurotus)

31. Pleurotus eryngii Lentinus edodus

32. W
 Wild edible mushrooms :
 Boletus edulis (Penny bun )
 Agaricus arvensis (Horse mushroom )
Boletus edulis
Agaricus arvensis

33. Mushroom
The Health
Food

34.  FUNGI AS A FOOD OF ANTS :
 Some species of ants , gather large leaves and use it as
a substance on which they grow fungi as food .
 Abundant fungal mycelium grow on the decomposed
organic matter . Nutrient rich mycelium are then eaten
by ants .

35. FUNGI IN
AGRICULTURE
 IN SOIL FERTILITY: fungi decompose the organic
compound of dead plants and animals .They are the
primary decomposers of any ecosystem.
 The enzymes present convert essential elements into
form in which they can be used as new material.
 Fungi also prevent many inorganic substance from
being lost by leaching action.
 Some yeast are known to be non-symbiotic nitrogen
fixers, Rhodotorula and Saccharomyces .

36.  Mycorrhizal association :
 Symbiotic relation between the hyphae of some soil –
borne fungi and roots of the higher plants .
 Ectomycorrhizal fungi, in which roots are entirely
surrounded fungal genera : Amanita , Boletus ,
Tricholoma etc .
 The ectomycorrhiza enhance the growth of the true
seedlings .
 It also help in absorption of nutrients like phosphorous ,
nitrogen , potassium and calcium .

37. Neurospora
 Fungi as a research tools :
 Used as basic material for the study of various
fundamental biological processes .
 They require short period to complete life cycle .
 Neurospora has become an ideal research material for
geneticist .
 Rusch (1968) , Physarum polycephalum , is a very good
material for study of DNA synthesis , morphogenesis
and other cellular process .

38. HARMFUL
EFFECTSOF
FUNGI
 Spoilage of food – Many mould such as Rhizopus ,
Mucor , Aspergillus and Penicillium grow on bread , jams
, jellys etc and make them unfit for human
consumption .
 Spoilage of goods – Many household and
commercial goods are attacked and destroyed by fungi
these include –Wool : attacked by and Penicillium.
 Paper and books : attacked by Aspergillus , Alternaria .

40. Effect on plants
 PLANT DISEASES
 Most of the fungi are parasitic and cause serious
diseases .
 They attack cereals , pulses , vegetables and fruit crops
.
 Some of the diseases caused by fungi are listed ahead -

41.  Wheat
 1. Loose smut of wheat caused by Ustilago
tritici
 2.Black rust caused by Puccinia graminis triticii
 3. Brown rust caused by Puccinia recondita
 Potato
 1. Late blight caused by Phytophthora
infestans
 2.Early blight caused by Alternaria solani
 Rice (Paddy)
 1. Bunt caused by Tilletia barelayana
 2.Leaf smut caused by Entyloma oryzae
 Apple
 1. Scab caused by Venturia inaequalis
 2. Soft rot caused by Rhizopus
stolonifera

42. HUMAN
DISEASES

43. Mushroom cultivation in Laboratory

44. CONCLUSION
 As an organism , fungi influence our life knowingly or unknowingly
.
 It proves to be beneficial as it helps in maintain balance of the
ecosystem by serving as an integral component in the ecological
recycling .
 It contribute to the economy also .
 However , the negative face of these organisms should also be
well understood , its ability to spoil things and cause diseases to
other organisms .
 Through proper understanding and management few follies of the
fungi could be prevented and made to good use .

45. REFERENCES
 Alexopoulous C.J.,Mims C.W.,Blackwell M. Introductory Mycology 4th
Edition (1996) JohnWilley and Sons ,USA
 Presscot , Harley,Klein,Microbiology,5th Edition 2002 ,Tata McGraw
Hill Company
 Singh Pande Jain ,Textbook of Botany ,Rastogi Publications ,Meerut
 JohnWebster and RolandWeber , Introduction to fungi , 3rd Edition,
Cambridge University Press
 Vashishta B.R. Botany for Degree Students –Fungi Revised Edition
2014 S.Chand and Company PVT.LIL Ram Nagar New Dehli
 http://bugs.bio.usyd.edu.an
 http://en.Wikipedia.org
 http://www.haikudock.com
 O.P.Sharma .1989TheTextbook of Fungi.Tata Mc Graw Hill,New Dehli