Chapter 31, Problem 4TYU

Summary Introduction

To determine: The adaptive benefit of filamentous nature of fungal mycelia.

Introduction: The species of fungi grow as filaments and as yeasts, but majority of the species grow as filaments and few grow as yeasts. The bodies of these fungi form a filamentous structure, called hyphae. The hyphae forms an “interwoven mass”, called as mycelium, which pierces the material on which the fungus feeds. There are some fungi, which have modified hyphae, called haustoria which play a role in extracting nutrients from the plants.