Basidiomycota, also known as club fungi, are characterized by their cell walls containing chitin and glucan. They produce basidiospores externally on structures called basidia, with each basidium typically forming four basidiospores. Sexual reproduction occurs through plasmogamy, karyogamy and immediate meiosis without distinct sex organs. Hyphae have septa with dolipore pores that maintain the dikaryotic condition within the fungi.

1. BASIDIOMYCOTA
N.H. SHANKAR REDDY
2nd Ph.D. Plant Pathology
Annamalai University

2. General characters
• Otherwise called as club fungi
• Cell wall is made up of chitin + glucan
• The most diagnostic feature of basidiomycota is presence of basidiospores which are
formed above the basidium
• Septate hyphae, dolipore septa, clamp connection are usually present with extensive
dikaryotic phage (most diagnostic feature of basidiomycota)
• Each basidia produces 4 basidiospore (basidiospores are produced exogenously/ outside
the basidia)
• Sex organs are lacking in the basidiomycetes, in which sexual process is mainly by
plasmogamy, karyogamy and meiosis
• Sex organs are lacking in basidiomycetes. The sexual process is represented by
plasmogamy and karyogamy and immediately followed by meiosis

3. • Dolipore septa – It is a complex pore septa, present in the
middle of the hyphae to form a barrel shaped pore called
‘dolipore’, both the ends of pore covered by a double layer
membrane (pore cap) called “parenthosome”. However
dolipore septais absent in the members of rust and smut.
• Purpose of dolipore septa
To ensure the dikaryotic condition of hyphae (where
clamp connection also performs the same function)