Discuss the economic importance of fungi.

Explanation

Economic importance of fungi:
1. Food:
(i) Mushrooms like Lentinus edodes, Agaricus bisporus, Volvariella volvaceae are consumed as food for their high nutritive value.
(ii) Yeasts provide vitamin B.
2. Medicine : (i) Fungi produce antibiotics, arrest the growth or destroy the bacteria. Some of the antibiotics produced by fungi. Penicillin (Penicilium notatum), Cephalosporins (Acremonium chrysogenum) etc.,
(ii) Ergot alkaloids (Ergotamine) produced by Claviceps purpurea is used as vasoconstrictors.
3. Industries:
Production of Organic acid : For the commercial production of organic acids fungi are employed in the Industries. Eg: Citric acid and Gluconic acid by Aspergillus niger.
4. Bakery and Brewery :
(i) Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is used for fermentation of sugars to yield alcohol. Bakeries utilize yeast for the production of bakery products like bread, buns, rolls etc.,
(ii) Penicillium roquefortii and Penicillim cammemberti are employed in cheese production.
5. Production of enzymes :
(i) Aspergillus Oryzae, Aspergillus niger were employed in the production of enzymes like Amylase, Protease, Lactase etc.
(ii) 'Rennet' which helps in the coagulation of milk in cheese manufacturing is derived from and Mucor spp.
6. Agriculture:
(i) Mycorrhiza fonning fungi likeRhiwctonia, Phallus, Scleroderma helps in absorption of water and minerals.
(ii) Fungi like Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisoplia are used as Biopesticides to eradicate the pests of crops.
(iii) Gibberellin, produced by a fungus Gibberella fujikuroi induce the plant growth and is used as growth promoter.