What are fungi?
Fungi are a group of organisms that obtain nutrients from dead or living matter. They can be microscopic or visible to the naked eye and are found mainly in warm, moist environments.
Fungi do not prepare their own food because they lack chlorophyll.
Non-green organisms
Feed on organic matter
Can be unicellular or multicellular
Reproduce through spores
Grow best in moist conditions
Made of a single cell.
Example:
Yeast
Made of many cells forming thread-like structures called hyphae.
Examples:
Mushroom
Bread mold
Fungi are beneficial in many ways:
Yeast is used in baking bread and making cakes
Used in preparation of some beverages
Penicillium fungus produces the antibiotic penicillin
Break down dead plants and animals
Recycle nutrients into the soil
Some fungi can:
Cause diseases in humans and plants
Spoil food and stored grains
Examples:
Ringworm in humans
Rust disease in crops
Fungi are important because they:
Help in decomposition
Improve soil fertility
Support food and medicine production
Maintain ecological balance
Although some fungi are harmful, many play essential roles in nature and industry.