Penicillium is called blue or green mold. It is commonly seen rotting fruits and vegetables . It belongs to phylum Ascomycota . Here the classification structure and reproduction of fungi is discussed.

1. Penicillium
Fungi
SUMANGALA.C.H.
LECTURER,UCM

2. Classification
Phylum: Ascomycota
Class : Eurotiomycetes
Order : Eurotiales
Family : Trichocomaceae
Genus : Penicillium

3. Occurrence : Penicillum found in soil ,decaying
vegetation, air and are common contaminants on
various substances.
Penicillium causes food spoilage, colonizes
leather objects .
They are saprophytes on decaying fruits and
vegetables.

4. Structure
They are commonly called the blue or green mold
because they produce enormous quantities of
greenish or bluish spores which give them their
characteristic colours.
Penicillium on PDA

5. Penicillium (name got because of brush like
appearance ).
On Lactophenol staining microscopic view of
Penicillium :
-conidiophore
-metulae
-sterigmata
-conidia

6.  The mycelium is multinucleated and
septate long thread like structure known
as hyphae.
 The hyphae is called conidiophore.
 At the apex of conidiophore are enlarged
cells known as metulae.
 From the metulae phialides (sterigmata)
arises.
 The conidia are produced in chains from
the tip of sterigmata.

7. Reproduction and life cycle
Reproduction in Penicillium is by
1. Vegetative
2. Asexual
3. Sexual method

8. 1.Vegetative reproduction is by fragmentation
where hyphae breakup into small fragments.
Each fragment then develops into full mycelium .
2.Asexual reproduction
• Asexual reproduction in Penicillium takes place
by asexual spores called conidia.
• Conidia get detached from parent after
maturation and get dispersed by the wind.
• When the spore gets attached to a suitable
substrate they germinate by germ tube
formation.

9. • The nucleus divides mitotically multiple
times and enter germ tube and gives rise
to mature mycelium.
Penicillium Conidia Germination

10. Sexual reproduction
• Sexual reproduction is by ascospores.
• Male sex organs are called Antheridia and
female sex organs are known as ascogonia
• One of the cells of the vegetative mycelium
develops into ascogonium.
• Ascogonium is elongated flask shaped and
has single nucleus at beginning but as it
matures the nucleus divides to form about 64
nuclei.

11. • The developing antheridium branch coils around
the ascogonium and at the tip it is separated by
septa forming a unicellular antheridium having a
single nucleus.
• After maturation antheridium comes in contact
with ascogonium.
• At this region of contact , wall dissolve and the
protoplast of both mingle with each other. The
process is known as plasmogamy which takes
place by gametangial contact.
• Dikaryotic phase is formed by septation of the
ascogonium into binucleate cells .

12. • The terminal dikaryotic cells swells up forming
ascus mother cell.
• In this karyogamy occurs forming diploid
nucleus .
• The young ascus enlarge and undergo two
meiotic and one mitotic divisions to give a 8
haploid ascospores.
• Around the ascus many sterile hyphae grow
and completely encircle it to form an ascocarp.

13. • Mature ascocarp is called
Cleisthothecium.
• Ascospores are released by the rupture
of Ascocarp.
• When ascospores fall on suitable
substratum they germinate to form new
mycelium of Penicillium.

15. Economic importance
• Antibiotic Penicillin is obtained from Penicillium
notatum .
 Penicillium species
• used in the production of cheese .example
Penicillium roqueforti used in roqueforti cheese for
colour, texture and distinctive odour and flavour .
• used in the production of citric acid ,gluconic acid
etc.
• used in the production of enzymes like amylases
,proteases lipases etc.

16. Economic loss:
• Penicillium species damage stored fruits by
causing rot and decay.
Example Penicillium digitatum and
Penicillium expansum cause rot and decay of
lemon, orange and other vegetables.
• Penicillium species damage leather goods
and furniture too.