Ebooks

Preface Fungi are important microbes whose colonies can be seen with naked eyes on some of the infected hosts while their structures can only be visualized microscopically. These are present everywhere, in the atmospheric air, in water, water bodies and water currents, in soil and soil crust, on plant surfaces, vegetables and fruits, food grains and food product, on decaying plant material, on bodies of human, animals, birds, in marine environment and on marine life, on cotton clothes and leather articals in damp weather, on house ceilings in damp places and even in railways compartment ceilings. These are important to know beacause these are invasive to plant and plant products, human, animals, birds, marine life to cause diseases in them and sometimes deadly on their hosts. These differ from host to host and the diseases they causes. Nevertheless, some other fungal species are beneficial to human as these are edible like mushrooms, used in manufacturing of enzymes, organic acids, in cheese industry, as colouring agents, in manufacturing of antibiotics and pharmaceuticals, as biological control agents, as biofertilizers and mineralizers, as decomposer of organic waste etc. These decomposers are also known as scavengers on the earth as they keep the earth and the environment free from garbages and its stinct.

Fungi are very primitive eukaryotic microbe on the earth which are evolved with the earth and its atmosphere. These may be the ancestor of the plants in the process of evolution (Borkar, 2001). The group of ancestral fungi is thought to be represented by the present day chytridiomycota, although the Microsporidia may be an equally ancient sister group. The first major steps in the evolution of higher fungi were the loss of the chytrid flagellum and the development of branching, aseptate fungal filament, which occurred as terrestrial fungi diverged from water molds 600 million to 800 million years ago. The easily recognizable mushroom fungi probably diversified 130 million to 200 million years ago, soon after flowering plants became an important part of the flora and well before the age of dinosaurs. A relatively recent evolutionary radiation perhaps 60 million to 80 million years ago, of anaerobic chytridiomycota occurred as grasses and grazing mammals became abundant, the chytrid fungi serve as symbionts within the rumen of such animals, thereby enabling the grazing mammals to digest grasses.

The fungi are present everywhere. They are in the soil and soil crust, in atmospheric air, in sea and pond water, rivers and water streams, and on the surfaces of almost all the material ,whether living or otherwise, on affected food stuff , vegetables and food grains, on body of human beings, animals, birds and fishes, on plant surfaces, on leathers and clothes in damp weather, on house walls and ceiling in damp conditions, on railway coaches and buses roofs having water leakage and dampness, in caves, on garbage and decomposing material etc. The fungal spores are present everywhere, however the fungal growth occurs where the congenial conditions for their growth is available.

3.1. Plant diseases caused by soil borne fungi 3.1.1. Clubroot Disease causing fungi Plasmodiophora brassicae (Fig. 125) It infects Crucifers host species. Infected plants in the begening shows pale green to yellowish leaves, which later on show wilting in the middle of hot, sunny days, and recovering during the night. Young plants may be killed by the disease soon after infection, whereas older plants may remain alive but become stunted and fail to produce marketable heads. The most characteristic symptoms of the disease appear on the roots as spindle-like, spherical, knobby, or club-shaped swellings. The swellings may be few and isolated or they may coalesce and cover the entire root system. The older and usually the larger clubbed roots disintegrate before the end of the season because of invasion by bacteria and other fungi.

4.1. Aspergillosis disease causing fungi Aspergillus Aspergillosis is usually caused by the fungus Aspergillus (Fig. 161) and usually occurs in people with lung diseases or weakened immune system The different types of aspergillosis can cause different symptoms. The symptoms are similar to asthma symptoms, and include: 4.1.1. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) The symptoms of ABPA includes Wheezing, Shortness of breath, Cough and Fever (in rare cases). 4.1.2. Allergic Aspergillus sinusitis The symptoms of Alleric Aspergillus Sinusitis include stuffiness, Runny nose, Headache and Reduced ability to smell.

5.1 Ringworm (in Cattle) causing fungi Trichophyton verrucosum Ringworm is one of the commonest skin diseases in cattle. Ringworm is a transmissible skin infectious disease caused most often by Trichophyton verrucosum, a spore forming fungi. The spores can remain alive for years in a dry environment. Although unsightly, fungal infections cause little permanent damage or economic loss. Direct contact with infected animals is the most common method of spreading the infection. The symptoms of Ringworm include Lesions with greywhite areas with an ash like surface usually circular in outline and slightly raised that appears on skin. Size of lesions vary and can become very extensive. In calves the infection is most commonly found around eyes, on ears and on back. In adult cattle infection on chest and legs are more common (Fig. 183)

6.1. Aspergillosis disease causing fungi Aspergillus fumigatus Aspergillosis is a fungal infection that commonly causes respiratory disease in pet birds. It can infect both upper (nose, sinuses, eye, and trachea) and lower (lung and air sacs-a specialized part of the respiratory tract that birds have) respiratory organs or more broadly distributed systemic infections (Fig. 187). The Symptoms includes Weight loss, Open-mouth breathing or gasping for breath, Tracheal movement or in-out-in movements in the region of the neck, Tail-bobbing or movement of the bird’s tail up and down while breathing in and out, heavy breathing after flight or exercise, Change in voice and persistent itching or rubbing of cerenares.

7.1. Black Gill Disease (in Shrimps) causing fungi Fusarium spp The affected prawns show brown to black spots on the gills. In acute cases gills may completely become brown or black with atrophy and necrosis (Fig. 192). 7.2. Saprolegniasis disease causing fungi Saprolegnia Saprolegniasis is a fungal disease of fish and fish eggs, most commonly caused by the Saprolegnia species called “water molds.” They are common in fresh or brackish water. Saprolegnia can grow at temperatures ranging from 0° to 35°C but seem to prefer temperatures of 15° to 30°C. The disease fungus attack an existing injury on the fish and spread to healthy tissue. Poor water quality (for example, water with low circulation, low dissolved oxygen, or high ammonia) and high organic loads, including the presence of dead eggs, are often associated with Saprolegnia infections.

8.1. Fungi useful in food processing 8.1.1. Aspergillus sojae and Aspergillus oryzae Aspergillus sojae and Aspergillus oryzae (Fig. 198) is a mold species in the genus Aspergillus. Its use was originated in China in the 2nd century AD and spread throughout East Asia where it is used in cooking and as a condiment. Uses It is used to prepare Soy sauce (also called soya sauce) a condiment made from a fermented paste of boiled soybeans, roasted grain and brine, In Japan it is used to make the ferment (K?ji) of soy sauce, the mirin and other lacto-fermented condiments like tsukemono. Soy sauce is a condiment produced by fermenting soybeans with Aspergillus sojae, along with water and salt.

9.1. Fungi useful against plant disease pathogen 9.1.1. Trichoderma viride Trichoderma viride (Fig. 231) fungus is used as a bio-fungicide. It is used for seed and soil treatment for suppression of various diseases caused by fungal pathogens. It is also a pathogen in its own right,causing green mould rot of onion. The fungicidal activity makes T. viride useful as a biological control agent against plant pathogenic fungi. It has been shown to provide protection against pathogens like Rhizoctonia, Pythium and Armillaria. It is found naturally in soil and is effective as a seed dressing bioinoculant in the control of seed and soil-borne diseases including Rhizoctonia solani, Macrophomina phaseolina and Fusarium species. When it is applied to the seed, it colonizes the seed surface and kills not only the pathogens present on the cuticle, but also provides protection against soil-borne pathogens.

10.1. Phosphate Solubilisers 10.1.1. Aspergillus spp. Several species of Aspergillus (Fig. 249) have been reported to be involved in the solubilization of inorganic phosphates such as A. flavus, A. fumigates, A. awamori. A. niger and A. terreus. These fungi are able to solubilize inorganic phosphate through the production of acids viz. citric, gluconic, glycolic, oxalic acids and succinic acid. Aspergillus fumigates isolated from compost has been reported to be potassium releasing fungus.

11.1. Pleurotus ostreatus Researchers in Mexico have shown that oyster mushrooms can break down/ decompose disposable diapers 11.2. Chaetomium globsum It is a saprophytic fungus that primarily resides on plants, soil, straw, and dung. They are found in habitats ranging from forest plants to mountain soils across various biomes. C. globosum colonies can also be found indoors and on wooden products C. globosum assists in cellulose decomposition of plant cells.

12.1. Penicillium chrysogenum Penicillium chrysogenum (Fig. 255) (previously known as Penicillium notatum), produces the antibiotic penicillin, known as WONDER DRUG. The antibiotics produced from fungus Penicillium is listed in table. Generic Brand Name Amoxicillin Amoxil, Polymox, Trimox, Wymox Ampicillin Omnipen, Polycillin, Polycillin-N, Principen, Totacillin Bacampicillin Spectrobid Carbenicillin Geocillin, Geopen Cloxacillin Cloxapen Dicloxacillin Dynapen, Dycill, Pathocil Flucloxacillin Flopen, Floxapen, Staphcillin Mezlocillin Mezlin