Penicillium produces

Options

A. Zoospores
B. Mitospores
C. Meisopores
D. Both B and C.

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding Penicillium:**
- Penicillium is a genus of fungi known for its role in the production of antibiotics, particularly penicillin. It reproduces both asexually and sexually.

2. **Asexual Reproduction:**
- In asexual reproduction, Penicillium primarily produces conidiospores. These spores are formed through mitosis, which is a type of cell division that results in two identical daughter cells.
- Conidiospores are non-motile spores that are dispersed by air and can germinate to form new fungal colonies.

3. **Sexual Reproduction:**
- In sexual reproduction, Penicillium undergoes meiosis, which is a type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half and leads to the formation of gametes.
- The male and female reproductive structures in Penicillium are involved in the formation of zygotes, which eventually develop into ascospores (also referred to as meiospores).

4. **Identifying the Spores:**
- The options given in the question are:
- A. Zygospores
- B. Mitospores
- C. Meiospores
- D. Both B and C
- From the above understanding, we can identify:
- Mitospores refer to the conidiospores produced during asexual reproduction.
- Meiospores refer to the spores produced during sexual reproduction (ascospores).

5. **Conclusion:**
- Since Penicillium produces both mitospores (conidiospores) and meiospores (ascospores), the correct answer to the question is option D: both B and C.