Write an essay on ‘Economic Importance of Fungi’.

Ans. The economic importance of fungi are as follows:

1. Fungi in Industries: Industrial Mycology: The useful activities of fungi have given rise to many important industries.

(i) Fungi in Alcoholic Production: Of the hundreds of known metabolic product of fungi, ethyl alcohol is most widely used. Various strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) are used to produce different types of alcoholic beverages like whisky, beer, rum, scotch and wine. Different strains of yeast ferment different types of carbohydrates.

(ii) Fungi in Enzyme production: Many extracellular and intracellular enzymes are found in fungi. Some of them have been produced on commercial scale: 1. Inverse is synthesized by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and is used in confectionery to make chocolate coated candies, in partial hydrolysis of sugar syrups and to make invert sugars. 2. Amylase is synthesized by Aspergillus oryzae and is used for the dextrinization of starch and in medicine to remove gas trouble.

(iii) Fungi in production of Organic Acids: A selected list of organic acids, which finds their application in different industries, is given below :

(a) Citric acid : Citric acid was formerly produced mainly from citrus products which was expensive one. Now citric acid is produced from solutions of molasses and gur by using a species of Mucor.

(b) Gluconic acid: Gluconic acid is produced by fermentation of sugars by a variety of moulds (e.g. Aspergillus and Penicillium.)

(c) Itaconic acid : It is produced by fermenting sugars with Aspergillus terreus and A. itaconicus.

(d) Kojic acid : It is produced by fermenting sugars with Aspergillus oryzae.

(e) Lactic acid : It is produced by fermentation of sugar with Rhizopus oryzae.

(f) Gallic acid : Spores of Aspergillus are used in its production.

(g) Fumaric acid: Mucor and Rhizopus are used in its production.

2. Fungi in Agriculture :

(i) Fungi is Scavangers : Carbon dioxide supply in the atmosphere is mainly maintained by the decomposition of plants and animals debris by fungi and bacteria. In the absence of these activities of scavangers, the surface of the earth would have become clogged with the accumulating remains of plants and animals. The slow decomposition of plant debris in soil also supply humus which is essential to maintain the fertility of soil.addig

(ii) Biological Control: Many plant diseases and disease causing agents are controlled by fungi. There are many examples of biological control use in agriculture : Trichoderma lignorum, a fungus, suppresses the development of pythium and other root rot fungi and encourage the better growth of crops. Certain fungi parasitize amoeba, nematodes and other microscopic terrestrial or aquatic animals. Some of these fungi are profitably utilized for controlling soil borne pathogens like nematodes.

(iii) Role of Mycorrhizae: Mycorrhizae is an association between fungal hyphae and roots of higher plants, probably representing a condition of balanced parasitism through which the plant obtains nourishment from the fungal hyphae, at least in some cases. Mycorrhizae are world-wide in distribution and the species of Rhizoctonia, Phoma, Tricholoma, Lycoperdon, Boletus and Scleroderma are reported to form mycorrhizal relationship with different plants.

(iv) Fungi in Aggregation : Some fungi like Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium and Rhizopus have the soil binding properties. This property of soil aggregation is achieved by the secretion of mucilaginous substances and polysaccharides, secreted by them.

(v) Fungi and Nitrogen Fixation : In some non-leguminous plants, symbiont that fixes nitrogen appears to be fungi. At least two yeasts are definitely known to be non-symbiotic nitrogen fixers, e.g. Rhodotorula, Saccharomyces.

(vi) Gibberellin and Agricultural Possibilities: Gibberellin, produced by the growth of a fungus. Gibberella fujikuroi, is one of the strongest growth stimulants. The discovery of this new substance has provided man with a powerful means of stimulating the growth and development of plants.

3. Fungi as Food: Many fungi provide food. Some of them with their nutritional value are briefly discussed here.

(i) Yeasts : From time immemorial yeast have been used in the brewing industry and in bread making. Yeasts may contain about 50% proteins as well as vitamin B complex and ergosterol. Ergosterol becomes vitamin D when exposed to ultra-violet light. Saccharomyces, Endomyces and Rhodotorula are particularly rich source of proteins, Rhodotorula rubra may contain as much as 56% protein.

(ii) Moulds: Certain moulds like Rhizopus nigricans, Aspergillus oryzae and Penicillium notatum are quite rich source of proteins. They may contain as much as 30% proteins. In near future proteins obtained from mould fungi may supplement the protein needed for the ever increasing millions. Recently protein cake is produced by combinations of wheat, barley, oats, rice and soyabean flour, cooked and fermented with Rhizopus oligosporus. The cake thus produced had higher concentrations of niacin and riboflavin.

(iii) Mushrooms : Fruiting bodies of many mushrooms like Agaricus, Morchella and Calvatia are edible. They are preferred both for their taste and food value. Mushrooms are good source of vitamins, essential amino acids, minerals and carbohydrates. All the mushrooms are not edible and some of them are poisonous.

(iv) Morels : The edible part of morels is ascocarp. Morels occur abundantly in apple and peach orchards of Northern India and in burnt forest areas.

There are a number of fungi which produce good amount of fat. Endomyces vernalis was used for the large scale production of fat in Germany towards the end of the first war.

(v) Antibiotic From Fungi : Antibiotics are metabolic products of an organism that are inhibitory to other micro-organisms in very small amounts. The study of antibiotics began in 1928 when A. Fleming discovered the penicillin.

The largest number of antibiotics are produced by Actinomycetes (ray fungi), which are bacteria lid organisms whose exact position in a system of classification is not known. The important antibiotics like aureomycin, streptomycin, terramycin and chloromycetin are isolated from various species of streptomyces which belong to Actinomycetes.

In India, antibiotics are produced in Pimpri (Poona), Verbhadra (Rishikesh) and Lucknow.

5. Fungi in Medicine:

(i) Ergot: Ergots are produced by claviceps purpurea. The ergots have various alkaloids which are used to induce uterine contraction for abortions, menstrual disorders and to check haemorrhages.

(ii) Ephedrine: This is synthesized by yeast from benzaldehyde. This is specific for the treatment of asthama and nasal trouble.

(iii) Steroids: One of its most valuable contributions is of steroids. Cortisone, a steroid, is prepared by the fermentation of glycosides of plants by moulds like Rhizopus nigricans and Aspergillus niger. Cortisone can be used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

(iv) Vitamins: Many fungi are rich in vitamins, yeasts are rich in thiamine (B1) riboflavin (B2) and a precursor of vitamin D (ergosterol). Eremotherium ashbyii yields vitamin B12 whereas vitamin A is extracted from Rhodotorula gracilis.

(v) Fungi and Sanitation : Many adopted fungi can reduce the organic load to a point where an ordinary water stream can absorb the extra load without biological breakdown. Some water absorb wastes that involve an increase in volume in an aquatic ecosystem can be corrected by this method.

(vi) Fungi in Biological Process : Fungi can be important tools in the study of fundamental biological processes, because fungi grow and reproduce rapidly. They require little time to produce a number of generalisations as compared to higher plants and animals. The fungi also require less space and less expensive equipment.

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