This document discusses the roles of fungi in agriculture, medicine, and commercial products. It describes both the positive and negative impacts of fungi in agriculture, including their role in soil fertility and as causal agents of plant diseases. Industrially, fungi are used to produce beverages, cheese, organic acids, enzymes, and vitamins. Medicinally, fungi produce important antibiotics like penicillin and substances used to treat cancer, bleeding, and other conditions.

1. TOPIC: FUNGI - ROLE IN AGRICULTURE,MEDICINE &
COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS.
PRESENTED BY
Chhan Kr. Kalita
B.Sc. 5th Semester, Dept of Botany
B.P.Chaliha College, Nagarbera

2. CONTENTS:
 Introduction.
 Role of fungi in Agriculture.
 Positive role of fungi in Agriculture.
 Negative role of fungi in Agriculture.
 Industrial/Commercial Uses of fungi.
Role of fungi as Medicine.
Conclusion.

3. What is Fungi?
 The Fungi are chlorophyll-less thallophytes having,
“heterotrophic(saprophytic,parasitic,symbiotic) eukaryotic and spore
bearing organism surrounded by a well defined cell wall made up of
chitin.
 According to Ingold (1967) “the fungal kingdom is a large one with
from 50000 to 100000 known species”.
 Fungi are found to occur everywhere i.e. they are found in soil, water,
air and even plant and animal bodies.
 The literal meaning of the term ‘fungus’ is mushroom and the study
of mushroom i.e. fungi are called mycology.

4. FUNGI IN AGRICULTURE:
• Negative role:
 Fungi are causative agents of different diseases in crop,
fruits, plants.
Disease Causal Fungi
Rust of Wheat Puccinia graminis
White rust of crucifers Albugo conidida
Powdery mildew of wheat Erysiphe graminis
The potato blight Phytophthora infestans
Damping off disease Pythium Sp
Apple scab Venturia inaequalis.
 Destruction of textiles: Several fungi are responsible for destruction
of cotton, woolen textiles. e.g. Mucor, Aspergillus, Penicillin cause
damage of cotton in storage.

5. FUNGI IN AGRICULTURE:
Positive role:
Fungi maintain soil fertility: Some saprophytic fungi particularly in
acid soil where bacterial activity is at its minimum cause decay and
decomposition of complex organic compounds decompose by
secreting enzymes.
• Some of this return to soil to form humus and the rest stay at air.
• Many saprophytic fungi of decay maintain the never ending cycle of
CO2 which is a most important raw material for plant photosynthesis in
nature.
• Some fungi form mychorrhizal association with the roots of certain
plants and help them in nutrition.

6. FUNGI IN AGRICULTURE:
Gibberelin produced by Gibberella fujikuroi is used as growth hormone
acceleration plant growth.
Many insect-pests can be controlled by the growth of fungi such as
Empusa sp., Cordyceps melothac etc,
Drechsler (1937) reported that there are some predacious fungi in the
soil. They used to trap and destroy the nematodes.
At the National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow fungi are being
tested as bio pesticides especially as nematicides and fungicides.
 Positive role:

7. INDUSTRIAL USES OF FUNGI:
Beverage industry: Fungi especially Saccharomyces cerevisiae are utilized
for the production of alcoholic beverages, such as beer, wine, whisky etc.
Cheese Industry: Some species of Penicillium is used for the production of
cheese.
Organic acid production: Acids Producting Agent
Citric Acid Aspergillus niger
Galic Acid Penicillium glaucum
Lactic Acid Rhizopous oryzae
 Enzyme production:
Enzymes Producting Agent
Amylase, Pectinase Aspergillus oryzae
Protease, Amylase Aspergillus niger
Cellulose Trichoderma viride
Lipase, Pectic enzymes Rhizopous sp

8. INDUSTRIAL USES OF FUNGI:
 Production of Vitamins:
FUNGI AS MEDICINE:
Some fungi produce substances which helps to cure diseases caused
by microorganisms, called antibiotics. Sir Alexander Fleming in 1929
first established that fungi bears antibody substances.
Vitamins Producting Agent
Vitamin-B Yeast
Vitamin-D Yeast
Vitamin-A Rhodotorula gracilis
Antibodies Source
Penicillin P. notatum, P. chrysognum
Griseofulvin Penicillium griseofulvum
Streptomicin Streptomyces griseus
Fumagillin Aspergillus fumigatus
Fumagillin Aspergillus funigtus

9. FUNGI AS MEDICINE:
 The gaint puff ball Clavatia contains an anti-cancer substance
Calvacin.
 Claviceps purpurea is used for vaterinary and human medicine.
 The eating of gaint puff ball Clavatia fungi prevents stomach
tumors.
 Ergot contains a mixture of alkaloids, which cause rapid and
powerful contractions of the uterus.
This medicine is also used to control bleeding during
child birth.