Soil Biota II

Reading Assignment Soil Microbiology: An exploratory Approach

Chapter 4, 5,6 & 7

Fungi-Charcteristics

Fungi are eukaryotes- organisms whose cells have a distinct nucleus containing the genetic material. Fungi may be unicellular or multicellular. True fungi have cells walls composed primarily of a substance called chitin. Posses filamentous mycelium net work of individual hyphal strands

Fungi-Charcteristics

Mycelium divided by cross-walls called septa, however many fungi species are non-septate.

The hypae of no-septate fungi are continuous and multinucleate and filaments don't bear cross-walls Hyphae in fungi is rather broad and has a diameter appreciably greater than that of actionomycetes.

Fungi-Charcteristics
Hyphae may be vegetative or fertile, fertile hyphae produce either sexual or asexual pores. Asexual spores or conidia are widespread in nature, the sexual spores are relatively uncommon

They are differentiated into genera and species on the basis of morphology. Majority are saprophytes in soil and water.

Fungi-Charcteristics

Hetrotorophic (organotrophs) i.e. requiring organic compounds for energy and carbon Rlelative dominance: Penicillum, Trichorderma, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Mucor

Can develop in a wide range of pH, prefer acid pH (5.0) Most of them are mesophillic e.g. Mucor, Aspergillus Few are thermophiles -between 50-65oC

Fungi-Charcteristics
Filamentous are strict aerobes. Most fungi are more resistant to osmotic pressures than bacteria and are therefore able to grow in higher sugar or salt concentrations. Fungi are capable of growing on substances with a very low moisture content, generally

too low to support the growth of bacteria.

Fungi-Charcteristics
Most of them are saprophytes Vast majority decompose plant materials. Plate counts not very important Fungistatis- Inhibition of fungal spores, tend to be inhibited in soils.

Fungi-Survival

Conidia-

Asexual spores produced at the end of hyphae.

Chlamydospores Thick-walled cells appearing in some genera from preexisting cells in hyphae or from conidia. Sclerotia They are hard, often large resting structures often packed with mycelium.

Fungi-Survival

Oospores

Thick-walled structures associated with sexual stages of some genera. Sporangiospores Specialized asexual spores borne on sporangia Ascospores Forms by meiosis in Pyrenomycetes in special saclike structures. Rhizomorphs Thick, very long strands made up of hyphae

Fungi-Taxanomic Groups

1. Slime molds

a. Acrasiomycetes e.g. Dictylostelium

Have a free-living amebal phase, the amebae combine to form a psedoplasmodium; sporocar bears asexual spores; found in decaying vegetation b. Myxomycetes e.g. Physarium
True slime molds

Fungi-Taxanomic Groups
Acellular creeping plsamodium, which is an animal-like but produces fungal-like reproductive structures. Group is widely distributed in soil, especially associated with decaying vegetation in cool moist sites. Some develop on herbage and others on animal dung.

Fungi-Taxanomic Groups
Common Fungi in Soil 1. Aspergillus

2. Penicillum 3. Trichorderma

4. Fusarium

Fungi-Taxanomic Groups
2. Flagellate Fungi (Mastigomycotina) a. Oomycetes: Pythium, Plasmopara, Phytophtora. Produce biflagellate motile cells known as zoospores Spores in sexual stage are oospores are within a sporangium; reproduction by gametangy. Now classified as chromista.

Fungi-Taxanomic Groups
Many are highly destructive plant pathogens Found in water and soil Pythium and Phytophthora are genera commonly encountered Pythium debaryanum cause damping-off of seedlings Phytopthora infestans causes potato blight Plasmopora viticola causes grape mildew

Fungi-Taxanomic Groups

b. Chytridiomycetes e.g. Allomyces Posses uniflagellate zoospores and produce oospores. Commonly called chytrids Found in aquatic habitats Some members are parasitic on algae, higher plants or insect larvae

Fungi-Taxanomic Groups
3. Sugar Fungi (Zygomycotina) a. Zygomycetes (Conjugation Fungi) e.g. Mucor, Rhizopus (common bread mold) One of the two classes normally encountered in soils Usually produce well-developed mycelium. The sexual resting spores are zygospores. Most found in water environmental

Fungi-Taxanomic Groups

Found in soil and decaying plant Some are opportunistic pathogens Important economically, individual species are used for commercial production of alcohols and organic acid, such as lactic acid, citric and oxalic acid. Rhizopus nigricans is the common bread mold. Sexual spores are zygopores which results from fusion of the nuclei of two cells that are morphologically similar.

Fungi-Taxanomic Groups
4. Higher Fungi (Ascomycotina) a. Ascomycetes e.g. Saccharomycetes

Includes molds with septate hyphae and yeasts.

Distinguished from other fungi by formation of a sac or ascus.

Sac or ascus containing sexual spores called ascopores resulting from fusion of nuclei of two cells that may be morphologically similar or dissimilar.

Fungi-Taxanomic Groups
Asexual spores are usually conidiophores. Conidia means dust, and these spores freely detach from the chain at the slightest disturbance and float in the air like dust Also include truffles, powdery mildew, and cup fungi

Fungi-Taxanomic Groups
Many species are saprophytic in soils Many are parasitic plants, causing root rots, corn ear rots, and powdery mildews Fermenting activities of yeasts are used in beer and wine industries and in bakeries Fleshy type of fungi

Fungi-Taxanomic Groups

b. Basidiomycota. (Club Fungi) Agaricus, Fomes

Septate hyphae, sexual spores, produced by meiosis, Differ from other fungi by the production of spores (basidiospores) externally on a specialized structure called basidium Asexual some basiodiomycota produce conidiospores.

Fungi-Taxanomic Groups
Include many mushrooms, rusts , smuts etc. As plant parasites, cause a lot of crop and tree losses. Most serious losses come from smut and stem rusts of cereals, diseases of forests and shade tress and the rottening of lumber Form mycorrhizal relationship with plants.

Fungi-Taxanomic Groups
Mushrooms are grown for edible food. They are vigorous decomposers of woody material Wood brown rots caused by fungi which decompose cellulose but not lignin. White rot caused by fungi destroying both cellulose and lignin. Also known as Hymenomycetes

Fungi-Taxanomic Groups

5. Fungi Imperfecti (Deuteromycotina) Deuteromycetes e.g. Aspergillus, Trihoderma, Fusarium, Penicillium Class also known as Hyphomycetes Have septate hyphae but reproduce only by means of conidia. Called Fungi Imperfecti due to lack of sexual stage.

Fungi-Taxanomic Groups
Form mycelium that has spores on special branches (the sporophores) or that bears no spores. Produce asexually by chlamydospores, conidiospores Found in soil, decaying, plant material and surface of animal bodies Majority are saprophytic in soil

Fungi-Taxanomic Groups
Many are parasitic of higher plants, humans, and other animals e.g. ringworm, athletes foot. Some species of Aspergillus produce afflotoxins. Causes vascular wilt. Serve as a holding category until sexual spores are observed and the particular fungus is properly classified

Function and Ecology

1. Organothrophs, obtain carbon for cell synthesis from preformed organic molecules. Can utilize both simple and complex food materials. Among carbon sources utilized are sugars, organic acids, dissacharides, starch, pectin, cellulose, fats and lignin.

Function and Ecology

Lignin molecule is particularly resistant to bacterial degradation. Nitrogen frequently comes from ammonia or nitrate, but proteins and nucleic acids and other complex nitrogenous sources are also used. Some species are nutritionally dependent requiring growth factors.

Function and Ecology

2. Some are predators. Various protozoa are especially susceptible to the active species. Nematodes are also entrapped and devoured frequently by specialized appendages or hyphal extensions. Potential promise for biocontrol.

Function and Ecology

Among the common nematophagous genera are Arthrobotrys, Dactylaria and Harposporium

No definite function has been established for the predaceous species, however it is believed that they may participate in the microbiological balance in soil, limiting the size and activity of the protozoan and nematode fauna.

Function and Ecology

3. Participate in decomposition of complex organic matter. The organic matter transformations brought about by filamentous fungi in well aerated environments often may be more prominent than the reactions catalyzed by bacteria.

Function and Ecology

4. They utilize proteinaceous substances and are therefore active in the formation of ammonium and simple nitrogen.
Under certain conditions fungi may

compete with higher plants for nitrate and ammonium and lead to a decrease in soluble nitrogen content of soil.

Function and Ecology

5. They participate in the formation of humus from fresh organic matter. Species involved include Alternaria, Aspergillus. 6. Several soil borne fungi are pathogenic. Only very small portion of the fungi growing or surviving in soil is concerned with plant disease.

Function and Ecology

Species involved are generally classified in the genera Fusarium, Phytopthora, Pythium, Sclerotium etc. 7. They also form unique association with higher plants in the structure known as mycorrhiza or fungus rot. 8. Fungi also form association with algae known as lichens.