Microbes and Plant Diseases

Association between roots of higher plants e.g pine, birch and fungal hyphae is called mycorrhiza. It exhibits the phenomenon of symbiosis. Here both the organisms in association are mutually benefitted. In this, fungal hyphae take nutrition from the plant and in return increase surface area for absorption of water and minerals for the plant. Mycorrhizal roots occur in superficial layers of the soil.

Straw mushrooms are grown on rice straw beds and picked immature, during the button or egg phase and before the veil ruptures. They are adaptable and take four to five days to mature.

Gibberella stilboides is a nectriacine fungus. It is a plant pathogen, and causes collar rot in coffee seedings.

The Beefsteak fungus is large, dark red and slimy on top, and pale yellow underneath. Its flesh resembles a raw steak (hence the common name) and, when the fungus is young, oozes red droplets that look like blood. It is edible.

Lecanoromycetes is the largest class of lichenized fungi.It belongs to the subphylum Pezizomycotina in the phylum Ascomycota.The asci (spore-bearing cells) of the Lecanoromycetes most often release spores by rostrate dehiscence.

Puccinia asparagi is the causative agent of asparagus rust. It is an autoecious fungus, meaning that all stages of its life cycle – pyciniospores, aeciospores, and teliospores all develop upon the same host plant .

Fusarium graminearum, is a plant pathogen which causes fusarium head blight, a devastating disease on wheat and barley.

It causes Verticillium Wilt or Maple Wilt. It attacks over 300 different cultivated plants and can persist as a saprotrophic soil organism for more than 15 years.

Pine trees are susceptible to pine pitch canker. Pine pitch canker first kills the tips of branches, then spreads down entire branches, and ultimately it can kill the whole tree. Infected trees die because the fungus thrives inside the tree's vascular tissue and blocks its water supply. The fungus is spread through the beetles that attack the pine cones.

Members of the Ascomycota such as Stachybotrys chartarum are responsible for fading of woollen textiles, which is a common problem especially in the tropics.

Ergot (Claviceps purpurea) is a direct menace to humans when it attacks wheat or rye and produces highly poisonous and carcinogenic alkaloids, causing ergotism if consumed. Symptoms include hallucinations, stomach cramp, and a burning sensation in the limbs (Saint Anthony's Fire).

The Saccharomycotina comprise most of the true yeasts, such as baker's yeast and Candida, which are single-celled (unicellular) fungi, which reproduce vegetatively by budding. Most of these species were previously classified in a taxon called Hemiascomycetes.

Calocera cornea is a jelly fungus that grows on decaying wood. It is a member of the Dacrymycetales, an order of fungi characterized by their unique tuning fork basidia.

This fungi is usually isolated as a saprophytic contaminant. World-wide, known as an insect parasite. Sympodial development of single-celled conidia on a narrow geniculate or zig-zag rachis emanating from a flask-shaped conidiophore.

Patients with primary immunodeficiencies are susceptible to Aspergillus species infections particularly when cell-mediated immunity is compromised.