TOPIC 1:CLASSIFICATION KINGDOM FUNGI-1-

TOPIC 1:CLASSIFICATION

             KINGDOM FUNGI

Member of the kingdom fungi include fairly familiar organism. Such as Mushrooms, toadstools, puff balls and bracket fungi.

There are also less obvious but very important members such as Mould which grow on bread, ripe fruits and other foods.

Characteristics of fungi

Fungi are found in damp or wet places

1. They have Eukaryotic cells with a rigid protected cell wall made ofchitin (chitin contain polysaccharide and protein)

2. The body of fungi is organized into thread like structure called hyphae(singular hypha). An interware mass of hyphae is called mycelium

3. Fungi have no chlorophyll also they do not photosynthesis, their mode of feeding is heterotrophic, in this way some are saprophytic while others are parasitic.

4. They store food as glycogen

5. Fungi reproduce asexually by using spores.

PHYLUM IN KINGDOM FUNGI

There are three main phyla in kingdom fungi. These are;

1. Ascomycota
2. Zygomycota
3. Basidiomycota 

1. Phylum Basidiomycota (Basidiomycotes)

Basidiomycota are characterized by the production of basidia.

These are microscopic of club shaped cell in which maturation of spore called (basidiospore) take place. Nature spore are prepared then are dispersed.

Examples of Basidiomycotas are mushrooms, toadstool, puff balls and bracket fungi

Characteristic of Basidiomycotes

1. Mushroom grow on dead and decaying matter (saprophytes)

2. They produce enzymes on the surface of their mycelium which help them to break down complex food particles.

3. The pileus is the cap of the mushroom on the under ride of the pileus are special hyphae called gills.

4. The gills produce basidiospores at their tips.

5. The stalk (or stem like part) of the mushroom is called stipe.

6. The part of the mushroom that is above the soil called the fruiting body.

7. Hyphae lie in or on substrate (the source of food).

 

ADVANTAGE OF KINGDOM FUNGI

1. Saprophytic fungi are important in the decomposition of dead organism.

2. Mycorrhiza fungi grow curzid the root of leguminous plants such as green grains, beans and peas.

3. Yeast is used to ferment various types of carbohydrates in order to produce alcohol.

4. Some types of fungi for example mushroom are used as food.

5. Fungi are widely used in genetic engineering and research.

6. Yeast is a rich source of vitamin b and protein.

7. Some types of fungi are used in the production of antibiotics for example Penicillim

8. Yeast cells are used in the production of lactic acid and citric acid.

9. Fungi have been used to control pest that cause damage and disease to agricultural crops.

10. Some types of fungi are used in the dairy industry to flavor cheese.

DISADVANTAGE OF KINGDOM FUNGI

1. Parasitic fungi causes disease in plant and animal
2. Fungi produce poison called mycotoxins
3. Some fungi attack the timber used in building house and make furniture
4. Some fungi they destroy food e.g. Bread mould

Phylum Ascomycetes

Ascomycetes are also called sac fungi. They produce spores in sac like cells calledasci. There spore are called ascospores.

Examples of ascomycotes are yeast, cup fungi, powdery mildew, penicillium and bread mould

 

Characteristics of Ascomycetes

1. They are unicellular

2. Yeast can be found in plant leaves and flower in salt water, in oil or warm blooded animals such as human beings.

3. Many types of yeast can ferment sugar to produce alcohol.

4. Some yeast is used in the production of beer, wine and bread. Other types of yeast cause disease.

5. They reproduce asexually by budding. Budding is where by a new organism develops as an outgoing of the parents cell.

                            Budding cell

PHYLUM ZYGOMYCOTA (ZYGOMYCETES)

Zygomycota reproduce asexually though spores or sexually through formation of zygosporia.

These organisms are given this name because they producezygosporangia during sexually reproduction. Zygosporangia are thick walled structure that contain spores and are highly resistance to unsuitable environmental condition. When condition improve the spores germinate example of zygomycetes are mould, mucor and rhizoid.

 

KINGDOM PLANTAE

This kingdom is made up of plants. There are general characteristic are;

1. They are multicellular
2. Their cells are eukaryotic with cellulose cell wall
3. Plants are autotrophic they photosynthesis to produce their own food
4. They store food as starch
5. They are organized into tissues, organs and system
6. They show limited movement for example opening and closing flower petals and growth movement towards light. 

DIVISION OF KINGDOM PLANTAE

The main 4 divisions of kingdom plantae are

1. Division Bryophyta
2. Division filicinophyta
3. Division coniferophyta
4. Division spermatophyta/anglespermaphyta 

Division Bryophytes

Plants in this division include Mosses and liverworts.

CHARACTERISTICS OF DIVISION BRYOPHYTA

1. They are generally small size, some mosses has only a few cells thick

2. They have leaf – like thallus and root – like rhizoids structure but not true leaves or roots

3. They lack vascular tissue (xylem and phloem)

4. Bryophytes are commonly found in the moist areas such as banks and tress and rocks in humid area.

5. They reproduce both sexual and asexual.

            - They need water during sexually reproduction because the male reproductive cells can only reach the female reproductive cells by swimming.

           - Asexually reproduction is by means of spores

6. They show alternation of generation. This means that they have two distinct phases in their life cycle.

   The gamete- producing phase called gametophyte stage, Gamete – producing are male or female reproductive cell.

   The spore producing phase called sporophyte stage

                                                           MOSSES

Moses consists of a stem- like structure bearing spirally arranged leaf like extensions. They are divided to the substratum by rhizoids.

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