Economic importance of Fungi.

1. ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
OF FUNGI

2. INTRODUCTION
• Fungi are heterotrophic eukaryotes which lacks chlorophyll.
• It gets the nourishment from other organisms which are dead or
alive.
• Fungi influence our day to day life either directly or indirectly.
• Some are prized for its usefulness, while other are shunned for
causing great harm to both plants and animals.

3. Useful aspects of fungi
• Religious Importance
• Greek and romans attached great importance to fungi, especially
the mushrooms.
• Appearance of Amanita muscaria is considered as warning for
thunder and lightning.
• In Mexico, Psilocybe mexicana has been used in their religious
rituals. They calls it “Sacred Mushroom”.

5. • Fungi as food
• Food value of is well-known since remote past.
• Fungi used as food include; morels, mushrooms, truffles,
puffballs and non-woody polypores.
• Morels; They belong to genus Morchelia and is popular dish in India.
• Puffballs; They are large, spherical white fructifications of Calvatia
gigantea. They are edible when young, before maturation of the
gleba, and production of spore

6. • Truffles; It is the fruiting body of a subterranean Ascomycete
fungus, predominantly one of the many species of the genus
Tuber. 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
and Italian cuisine
• They are also used for making Oil
and high quality Vodka.

7. • Mushrooms; Fruiting bodies of Basidiomycotina members, about
2000sp 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
Common edible mushrooms
• Agaricus bisporus(Button
mushrooms)
• Lentinus edodus(Shitakke
mushroom)
• Volvariella volvacea (Paddy straw
mushroom)
• Pleurotus eryngii,(King Oyester
Mushroom)
Wild Edible mushrooms
• Boletus edulis(Penny Bun),
• Agaricus arvensis(Horse
Mushroom),
• Polyporus squamosus
(Pheasant's back
mushroom)

8. • Fungi, as Food of Atta ants
• Some species of Atta ants, gather large leaves and use it as a
substrate on which they grow fungi as food.
• Abundant fungal mycelium grow on the decomposed organic
matter.
• Nutrient rich mycelium are then eaten by ants.

9. • Fungi and Medicines
• Antibiotics
• Substance of biological origin which inhibit the growth of bacteria.
• Alexander Fleming (1919) isolated Penicillin from Pencillium notatum.
Antibiotic Source Biological activity
Fumigatin Aspergillus fumigatus Antibacterial
Statolen Pencillium Stoloniform Antiviral
Ustilagic acid Ustilago mrydis Antifungal & Antibacterial
Fumagillin Aspergillus fumigatus Amoebocitic

10. • Ergot
• Ergot is the sclerotium of Claviceps purpurea.
• It contain several alkaloids like ergotine, ergometrine, ergotaminine
etc. which are used to control post partum hemorrhage.
• Ergot is one of the natural source of LSD( d-Lysergic acid
diethylmide),which has use in experimental psychiatry.
• Steroid Conversion
• Steroids are widely used anti inflammatory, anesthetics, anti-sterility
agents.
• Rhizopus and Aspergillus have capacity to synthesis valuable steroids.
• Ephedrine is extracted from Benz aldehyde, using Yeast.
• Ephedrine is widely used in asthmatic diseases.

11. • Industrial use of Fungi
• Alcoholic beverages:
• Yeast ferment glucose to produce ethyl alcohol and CO2.
• Saccharomyces cervisiae is used for production of beer, wine,
whiskey, gin and rum.
• Wines is produced from grapes by fermentation using
Saccharomyces ellipsoides.
• Organic Acids:
• Many important organic acids are produced commercially by
the biochemical activities of many molds.
• Aspergillus niger is used in production of citric acid, while
Rhizopus stolonifer is used for manufacture of lactic acid and
fumaric acid.
Organic Acid Fungus
Itaconic acid Aspergillus terreus
Kozic acid A.flavus
L-malic acid Schizophyllum commune
Oxalic acid A.niger, Sclerotinium sclerotium

12. • Cheese industry
• Pencillium roquefortii and P. camemberti are used for the production
of cheese
• Enzymes
• Many products of high enzymatic activity like diastase,digestin
etc.. Are produced by Aspergillus flavus.
• Well known enzyme amylases are produced by Aspergillus
niger and A. oryzae.
Enzyme Fungus
Amylase,Pectinase,Protease &
Glycoamylase.
Aspergillus oryzae
Rennet protease Mucor sp.
Glucose oxidase Pencillium chrysogenum
Cellulase Trichoderma viridae.

13. • Pigments
• Some fungi are grown commercially for extraction of
pigments which are used in preparation of various dye.
• Vitamins
• Many fungus metabolites are rich source of vitamins, which
are used as nutritional supplements and in medicinal therapy.
• Yeasts are good source of vitamin B- complex and riboflavin.
• Ergosterol, which contain vitamin D is synthesized from
number of moldsh.
• Riboflavin is also obtained from Ashbya gossypis,
Eremothecium ashbyi, Candida sp.
Pigment Fungus
Atromentin Paxillus atromentosus
Catenerin Heliminthosporium sp.
Phoenicin Pencillium phoenicum
Neocercosporin Cercospora kikuchi

14. • Fat production
• Certain fungi are good sources of fats.
• Aspergillus nidulans, A.sidowsi, A.fisheri, Pencillium piscarum and
P.javanicus are common examples.
• Hormones
• Gibberline, plant hormones that are produced by the fungus,
Gibberella fujikuroi.
• It is used to accelerate growth of several horticultural crops.
• Organic Solvents
• Yeast is made in the manufacture of many organic solvents such
as acetic acid, lactic acid, succinic acid, amyl and isoamyl alcohol,
glycerol, mannitol, ethyl acetate.

15. • Latex- exuding fungi
• Lentz(1954), the lactiferous hyphae of Lactarium contains latex
which exudes if the flesh in broken.
• Same condition of latex exudation is observed in the bleeding
fruiting bodies if Stereum gausapatum.
• Fungi and Soil fertility
• Fungi decompose the organic compound of dead plants and animals
and its excretions.
• 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
leeching action.
• Some yeast are known to be non-symbiotic nitrogen fixers,
Rhodotorula and Saccharomyces.

16. • Mycorrihizal association
• Symbiotic relationship between the hyphae of some soil-borne fungi
and roots of the higher plants.
• Ectomycorrhizal, (Hartig net) in which roots are entirely surrounded
fungal genera; Amanita, Boletus, Tricholoma etc.
• The ectomycorrihiza enhance the growth of the true seeding.
• It also helps in absorption of nutrients like phosphorous, nitrogen,
potassium and calcium
• Fungi as predators
• Some fungi obtain their food by killing amoeba, rotifers other
protozoan and nematodes.
• Eg: Nematophthora gynophila, are utilized for controlling nematodes.

17. • Mycoremadiation
• Mycoremediation is a form of bioremediation
• The process of using fungi to degrade or sequester contaminants
in the environment
• Mycelium reduces toxins in-situ, through enzymatic activity.
• Some fungi are hyper accumulators, capable of absorbing and
concentrating heavy metals in the mushroom fruit bodies
• E.g.Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus)
• Mycofiltration
• Similar process, using fungal
mycelia to filter toxic waste and
microorganisms from water in
soil.

18. • Fungi as Insectides (Entomogenous fungi)
• Several fungi are endoparasites on insects and other small
arthropods such mite and spiders.
• They include some chytrids almost all members of the
Entomophthorales, many yeast and many Deutromycetes.
• These fungi are utilized for controlling plant pests and insects.
• Coelomomyces and legnedium are the common endomogenous fungi
• Fungi and Luminescences
• Ability to produce visible light in the dark.
• Basidiomycetes like Armillaria mellea show
bioluminescence.
• Luminant part; mycelium or fruiting body.

19. • Fungi as research tools.
• Used as basic material for the study of various fundamental
biological processes.
• They fast rate of reproduction.
• Require short period to complete life cycle.
• Production of spore by meiosis.
• Neurospora has become an ideal research material for geneticist.
• Rusch (1968), Physarum polycephalum, is a very good material
for study of DNA synthesis, morphogenesis ,mitotic cycle and
many other cellular process.

20. Harmful aspects of fungi
• Deterioration and Spoilage by Fungi
• There are many saprophytic fungi that grows on the food and other
human articles such as clothes, leather goods, optical instruments
etc.
• This would cause the spoilage and deterioration of that material.
• Food spoilage
• Many species of Mucorales, Zygomycetes, Deuteromycetes often
cause rotting of fruits and vegetables
• Rhizopus nigrican is responsible for the spoilage of sweet potato.
• Fungi such as Pencillium digitatum, P.expansum, Aspegillus
glaucus, A.niger, A.clavatus and fusarium spoil the meat during
storage and transportation.
• The common bread is spoiled by Mucor mucedo, Aspergillus
repens, A.flavus etc.

22. • Textiles
• Wool destroyed by species of Alternaria, Steinphyllum, Pencillium,
Trichoderma etc..
• Rayon yarns are destroyed by species of Aspergillus and Pencillium.
• Cotton in go downs are destroyed by Species of Stachybotrys,
Chaetomium
• Silk industry face serious damage due to Scopulariopsis,Stachybotrys
and Trichoderma.
• Paper
• Many fungi, Chaetomoium, Myxotridium, Aspergillus, Claadosporium
etc. decompose cellulose and lignin and thus ruin paper.
• Leather
• Leather goods are destroyed by fungi such as Asperigillus niger,
Pencillium and Paecilomyces.

23. • Rubber
• Rubber products are spoiled by Aspergillus candidus, A.niger,
A.tereus and Penicillium sp.
• Paints
• Many fungi , Species of Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium,
Pullularia are responsible for the mold spotting or discoloration
of the painted surfaces.
• Wood rotting fungi
• Many wood-rotting fungi cause a loss of monetary loss.
• Dry rot; Serpula lacrymans
• Wet rot; Coniophora cerebella
• Fungi breakdown the wood components and reduce the
mechanical strength
• Members of Polyporales predominantly occur on living trees and
are responsible for most of the wood rot.
• Eg; Polyporus tomentosus. P. schweinitzii, Ganoderma sp.

24. • Fungi in Aircraft fuel tanks
• Fungal mycelium has been reported growing in storage tanks
and fuel tanks of aircrafts containing Kerosene-based fuel.
• Fungal hypha may plug the pipes and valves of the aircraft.
• Amorphotheca resinae is the main organisms present in fuel
tanks of aircraft
• It is also called the ”Kerosene Fungus”.
• It also grow luxuriantly on Aluminum alloy and may corrode
the metal.

25. • Fungi and Disease
• Diseases of man
• Several species of fungi are responsible for causing diseases in
man.
• Most fungal infections are of skin.
• Respiratory tract, lungs, viscera, intestine, liver, corneal tissue
of eye are also severely infected.
• Mycoses: Disease caused by true infection by fungi.
• Mycotoxicoses: Disease caused by the ingestion of toxic fungal
metabolites

26. • Mycoses
• Superficial or dermatomycoses.
• Fungal infection of keratinized tissue ; hair, nails or skin.
• Caused by dermatophytes
• Tinea is the common name of disease caused by dermatophytes.
• Causative fungi includes species of Epidermophylon, Microsporium,
Trichophylon etc
• Subcutaneous mycoses
• Fungi responsible for subcutaneous infection.
• Enter through puncture and wounds.
• The most common disease is Sporotrichosis caused by Sporotrichum
schenckii
• Chromomycosis is another example ; foot or hand,caused by
Fonsecaea and Cladosporium.

27. • Systemic mycoses.
• Often serious or fatal diseases caused by fungi; Histoplasma
capsulatum, Coccidioides immitis, Blastomyces
dermatitidis.Candida albicens etc.
• Species of Mucor and Rhizopus affect lung, brain, gastric
tissues.
• corneal tissue of eye is affected by Neurospora and Fusarium
• Aspergillosis; having close resemblances to symptoms of
Tuberculosis is caused by Aspergillus niger, A.flavus &
A.terreus Zygomycosis is caused by species of Mucor and
Rhizopus.
• Various types of Candidiasis; Skin candidiases, broncho
candidiases, oral candidiases and pulmonary candidiases are
caused by Candida albicens

28. • Mycoses cont.…
• Fungal diseases are comparatively difficult to cure in comparison
to bacterial / viral disease because of the unavailability of
efficient broad spectrum antifungal compound.
• One successful antifungal compound; Potassium iodide
• Antifungal medicine; Amphotericin and Griseofulvin
• Mycotoxicoses
• Illness produced by ingesting poisonous fungi or food
contaminated by with toxic fungal metabolites
• The poisonous substance or toxins are called Mycotoxins

29. • Mycotoxicoses cont.
• Several species of poisonous mushrooms, such as Amanita phalloides,
A. muscaris, Scleroderma citrinum are known to be highly toxic.
• Toxic substance cause damage to liver and nervous system.
• Certain species of Penicillium produce toxins like luteostyrin, rubratoxin
and cycloplazonic acid, Fusarium produce sporofusarin.
• Consumption of ergot of rye, might cause ergotism due to presence of
toxic alkaloids ergometrine, ergometrinine. present in them.
• Aflatoxin, produced by Aspergillus flavus and A.niger on growing grain.
It causes severe liver damage.

30. • Fungi as allergens
• Large number of fungi , Aspergillus, Pencillium, Cladosporium,
Mucor, Rhizopus, Claviceps, Ruts and smuts are responsible for
causing various types of allergic diseases in man
• Hallucinogenic fungi
• Some fungi, upon consumption induce hallucination in the
consumer.
• The alkaloids present in them directly affect the nervous system.
• Psilocybe mexicana; Psilocybin and Pailocin
• Amanita muscaria; Muscarine and Bifotenine.
• Poisonous fungi (Toadstools)
• Deadly poisonous if ingested
• Amanita phalloides, A.verna and Boletus satanus are highly fatal.
• Resemblance to edible mushroom, high care must be given while
collection

31. • Diseases of animals
• Certain species of fungi; Trichophyton and Microsporum cause
disease in animals
• It causes disease like Phycomycosis, rhinosporidiosis and Mycotic
abortions.
• Aspergillus flavus cause bovine abortions in birds, ducks and chickens
• Ringworm disease of dog is caused by Microsporum cains.
• Diseases of fishes
• Saprolegnia and Achlya act as the common parasite of fishes.
• Saprolegnia ferax and S.parasitica infect the fishes of the domestic
aquaria

32. • Diseases of Crops
• Parasitic fungi cause vast destruction of many plants resulting
huge economic lost and loss of vegetation cover.
• The common fungal disease include Smut and Rust.
• They can result in a catastrophe if allowed to run their course
unchecked (Irish potato famine).
• Havoc creating fungal disease of India include damping off, Potato
blight, downy mildew of grapes, ergot of rye, smut of many crops
and rust of many cereals along with wilt of cotton.

33. Disease/ Affected plant Pathogen
Tobacco Peranospora tobacina
Coffee Helminthosporium vastatix
Maize Helminthosporium vastatix maydis
Early blight of potato Alternaria solani
Stem rust of wheat Puccinia graminis
Loose smut of potato Ustilagi solani
White rust of crucifers Albugo candida
Wilt of Acasia Fusarium vas-infectum

34. Favorable future expectations
• Some highly useful antibiotics may be obtained from fungi
• Commercial production of useful enzymes, vitamins and
hormones
• Research on psychoactive fungal metabolites helpful for
mental disturbances
• Production of large scale protein-rich food.
• Role of fungi in disposal of solid and liquid pollutants and in
Mycoremadiation.
• New fungal materials for fundamental biological research

35. 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 thing and cause disease to
other organisms.
• Through proper understanding and management few follies of
the Fungi could be prevented and made to good use.

36. THANK YOU

37. REFERENCES
• Vashishta B.R, (2012) Botany for Degree Students- Fungi, S.Chand &
Company Pvt. Ltd New Delhi.
• Pandey S.N, Misra S.P, Trivedi P.S (2006). A Textbook of Botany Vol I.
12th Ed. Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd.
• Smith G.M(1938) Cryptogamic Botany Vol I. Mcgrew Hill Book
Company. Inc.
• Sharma O.P (2001) Textbook of Fungi. Tata McGraw Hill Education.
• Webster John & Weber, Roland W.S (2007) Introduction to Fungi,
Cambridge University Press.

38. Boletus campestris
These mushrooms grow in late spring and summer on the ground in the upland
woods, often at the edges of trails. Often seen after late spring and summer rains
and despite being quite a vivid colour and look are in fact edible! Much like
the entoloma hochstetteri edible means 100% edible so even the stalk can be eaten!

39. Lactarius indigo
This amazing Mushroom that is often called blue milk mushroom is mostly
seen growing in North America, East Asia, and Central America. And once
again despite the amazingly vivid colours that often warning of
how poisonous it is, it’s is in fact completely edible! But these are not to be
confused with the sky blue mushroom entoloma hochstetteri that is in fact
poisonous.

40. Clathrus ruber
Often called “the football mushroom” you wouldn’t want to kick it to a friend
because the interior surfaces are all coated with a foul-smelling slime that attracts
flies and other insects and if this is sprayed over someone they would be like an
instant lunch for insects. You don’t need me to tell you this but they are 100%
non-edible. There are some amazing fungi in the world that is for sure.

41. Laccariaamethystina
Sounding like some soft of assassin the “Amethyst Deceiver” is a small
brightly coloured mushroom that grows in deciduous as well as coniferous forests.
Because its bright amethyst colour fades with age and weathering, it is very
difficult to identify it and sadly that is how it gets its name ‘Deceiver’.
But despite the deadly name the top of it is in fact edible and makes an amazing
mushroom sauce, but not the stalk which is quite bitter to the taste

42. Hydnellum peckii
Often called “The Bleeding Tooth mushroom” Hydnellum
peckii is a hydnoid species, producing spores on the surface of vertical
spines or tooth-like projections that hang from the underbelly of the main
stalk It is found in North America, South America, Europe and was recently
discovered in Iran. And you hardly need me to tell you this one but they are
VERY deadly even to touch and 100% non-edible

43. MacrocybeTitans
Macrocybe titans is a species of mushroom that had the claim to fame of being
called “The World’s biggest Mushroom” it grows in mostly grassy areas in
tropical and subtropical habitats and the best bit is that it’s 100% edible! There
is even stories I have read that say that this is used as a amazing mushroom toy

44. Hygrocybehelobia
These amazing brightly coloured shiny mushrooms are often described as the
orchids of the fungi world. They are found on lawns and grassy churchyards or
most normally grass that has never had any artificial fertilizers applied to it and
are 100% non-edible so no looking for any amazing mushroom recipe for this
one!

45. Dictyophoraindusiata
Often called “The Veiled Lady” the fruit body of the fungus is
characterised by a conical to bell-shaped cap on a stalk and a delicate “lacy
skirt” that hangs from beneath the cap and reaches nearly to the ground.
Once again you don’t really need me to tell you that this is deadly to touch
and should never be eaten.

46. Entoloma hochstetteri
This stunning species of mushroom can be found in New Zealand and India and is
a very distinctive bright blue colour, while the gills have a slight reddish tint from
the spores! This Mushroom is in fact so famous it was featured on the back of a
$50 NZ bank-note! You know this already but it is 100% non-edible

47. Neonothopanusgardneri
Found In a forest in Brazil researchers only recently (2008) found a glow-in-the-
dark mushroom not seen since 1840! The long-forgotten fungus had to be
reclassified, but scientists are still trying to determine just what makes the
mysterious mushroom glow but they do know that it is 100% non-edible. But
imagine an amazing mushroom soup that glows in the dark!!! Now that would
be cool.