Characters of plasmodium of slime moulds

Options

A. Unicellular
B. Multinucleate
C. Diploid
D. All the above

Answer

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Definition of Plasmodium**:
- Plasmodium is a form within the life cycle of slime moulds. It is a crucial stage that represents a mass of protoplasm.

2. **Multi-nucleated Structure**:
- The plasmodium consists of many nuclei, making it multi-nucleated. This means that instead of having a single nucleus like many other cells, plasmodium has multiple nuclei within a shared cytoplasm.

3. **Eukaryotic Nature**:
- Slime moulds, including their plasmodium stage, are classified as eukaryotic organisms. This indicates that they have complex cells with membrane-bound organelles and a defined nucleus.

4. **Free-living Organism**:
- Slime moulds, including their plasmodium stage, typically live freely in nature, often found in damp environments such as decaying wood or leaf litter.

5. **Single-celled Organism**:
- Despite being multi-nucleated, slime moulds are considered single-celled organisms. This is because they function as a single entity, even with multiple nuclei.

6. **Diploid Nature during Reproduction**:
- During its reproductive phase, the plasmodium is diploid, meaning it contains two sets of chromosomes, one from each parent.

### Conclusion:
The characters of plasmodium of slime moulds include:
- It is a multi-nucleated structure.
- It is a eukaryotic organism.
- It is single-celled.
- It is diploid during its reproductive phase.