ESPM 134 Spring 2009 Introduction to the fungi

The Hypha

Jacobson, Hickey, Glass & Read

Arbuscule (basically a haustorium) inside a plant root

cell

(c) D. Redecker, K. Wex

A. H. R. Buller 1931

Mycelium all of the hyphae of a single individual

fungus

It can function to move materials from one area to

another

Hyphal Fusion a necessary step in maintaining a mycelium

Hickey, Jacobson, Glass & Read

Extensive mycelium of an ectomycorrhizal fungus

The individual strands you see are rhizomorphs: bundles of organized hyphae used for long-distance transport

Rhizomorphs of Mutinus elegans in a Miscanthus field

Ratios of two haploid nuclei in Heterbasidion parviporum heterokaryons From James et al 2008 Evolution paper

Mitotic (asexual) spore state are very common in Ascomycete

Zone lines in wood cause by vegetative interactions between different genotypes of decay fungi

Zone lines in a twig showing borders of individual fungi

Single individuals can be large

Suillus pungens genets in pre-fire Pt. Reyes Bonello et al. 1998. New Phytol. 138:533-542.

Undisturbed forest should have large genets Boletus photoshopii

Achyla oogonium and antheridia

Oomycota the water molds (fungal-like protists)

Saprolegnia life cycle from Alexopolous et al

Damping off by Pythium

Chemotactic zoospores of Phytophthora

Phytophthora infestans, late blight of potato airborne sporangia can disperse across a continent in year

Sudden Oak death - Phytophthora ramorum At China camp State park, Marin Co.

Chytridiomycota +

Zygomycota

Ascomycota

Basidiomycota

KingdomFungi

Glomales

“true fungi” are in the Kingdom Fungi

Arbuscular mycorrhiza (Plantago media and Glomus clarum)

spore

extraradical hyphae

(c) D. Redecker

100µm

Photo from Ann Pringle

Hallmark of the Ascomycota - the Ascus

Mitotic (asexual) spore state are very common in Ascomycete

Apothecia cup-like ascocarps

With asci on the surface

Perithecium - a common ascocarp type Small with asci inside a flask-shaped structure

Xylaria - a wood decaying ascomycete that forms a stroma with perithecia embedded in it

Basidia from Alexopoulos et al.

Basidiomycetes - a major group of Forest Pathogens and mycorrhizal symbionts

Hyphae with clamps

Coprinus development From Ingold 1953

From Buller

Mushrooms (Agarics & Boletes)

Tooth fungi (Hydnoid)

Resupinate Corticioid

Club and Coral fungi

Polypores

Gastromycetes Puffballs &false-truffles

Jelly fungi

Rust fungi

Basidiomycota(except rusts)

Rust fungi (alsoBasidiomycota)

Ascomycota Oomycota

Fruiting bodiesoften large andconspicuous,basidiospores oftenthe main dispersalstage;

Fruiting body usuallysmall, basidiosporesoften used to infect adifferent host,dispersal relativelylocal

Fruiting body usuallysmall, in many speciesit may be rare orabsent.

No fruiting bodies.Oospores Small andinconspicuous; aresting stage thatdisperses primarilythrough time notspace.

Importance and size of meiotic (sexual) stage

Importance and size of mitotic (asexual) stage

Basidiomycota(except rusts)

Rust fungi (alsoBasidiomycota)

Ascomycota Oomycota

rare, usually usedfor genetic exchange,not dispersal

Usually abundant,often used for long-range dispersal

Usually abundant,and often the primaryinoculum for dispersaland colonization.

abundant. The mostimportant stage forinfection. (zoospores,chlamydospores,whole sporangia)

Size of mycelium and presence of rhizomorphs or cords

Basidiomycota(except rusts)

Rust fungi (alsoBasidiomycota)

Ascomycota Oomycota

small to very large (>sq mile) -Rhizomorphs andcords common

small alwayslocalized in a singlehost - But singlegenotypes can bedispersed longdistances by mitoticspores; Rhizomorphsand cords absent

small to moderate -localized in a singlehost or unit resource(like a log).Rhizomorphs andcords present in somespecies

basically small, but cancause large rootdisease centersprobably by locallydispersed sporesrather than mycelialgrowth, Rhizomorphsand cords absent

Importance in wood decay and ectomycomycorrhizal (EM) symbiosis

Basidiomycota(except rusts)

Rust fungi (alsoBasidiomycota)

Ascomycota Oomycota

Causal agent formost decay

None few important decays -Hypoxylon and Xylariaare the mainexceptions

Phytophthora cinnamomiapparently decayssmall to moderateroots, but otherwisethis behavior is rare.

Most EM fungi arebasidiomycetes

None Some important EMfungi (e.g. truffles)

None

Importance in various types of diseases

Basidiomycota(except rusts)

Rust fungi (alsoBasidiomycota)

Ascomycota Oomycota

Root diseases Most root diseases,virtually all thatinvolve decay arebasidiomycetes

None A few important rootdiseases (e.g.Blackstain), theseusually behave as wiltsand do not causedecay.

Phytophthora cinnamomiand others causeserious root diseases;Phythium species causedamping off and manycryptic sublethal rootdisease.

Foliage diseases almost none very common Commmon - allneedle cast andneedle blights

Many in tropicalsetting, Phytophthoraramorum is a temperateexample

Canker diseases some canker rots many importantcankers of pines

Most cankers diseases Phytophthora ramorumand others can causecankers

insect vectoring rare, but occurs withsomeare vectored bybark beetles (e.g.Peniophora, andWestern andSouthern pinebeetles) or woodwasps (e.g.Amylostereum)

Used for geneticexchange by mostrusts (i.e., thespermatial stage)

Most of the fungivectored by barkbeetles and ambrosialbeetles are membersof the Ascomycota(e.g. blues stains, blackstain), ambrosia fungi)

none

Nematode trapping fungi Trap types

adhesive net traps

Constricting ring traps

Non-constricting ring traps

Rotifer trapping

From Barron and Szijarto 1991

Photos from George Barron.

Stylopage anomala trapping amoebae

Bacteriophagy from Barron 1988 Can. J. Bot.