Economic importance

Fungi are very much useful in our day-to

day life. Due to absence of chlorophyll, they
depends on living, dead or rotten organic sub
stances for food. Some are useful and others are
directly or indirectly harmful to the mankind.
Still some like Claviceps purpurea have both
harmful and useful activities. Considering the
overall activities, this can be said safely that in
one hand the fungi is our friend and on the other
hand the great foe, either directly or indirectly.
Some useful and harmful activities of fungi
are:

A. Useful activities: Directly or indirectly fungi

are beneficial to human being. Fungi is used
in medicine industry, as food, in food prepa
ration, in other industry and also in agricul
ture. Some of the useful activities are:
1. Preparation of Medicine : Various kinds
of fungi are used in the production of
various inds of medicine. The most
important members are Penicillium
notatum, Claviceps purpurea, Saccharo
myces cerevisiae, Eremothemium ash
byi, Aspergillus proliferous etc.
(a) Antibiotic : Antibiotics are the
metabolic product of some micro
organisms which are active
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Name of antibiotics Produced fungi Range of activity

1. Penicillin Penicillium notatum Bacteria
and P. crysogenum (both Gram + and -
2. Griseofulvin P. nigricans Fungi
P griseofulvum
3. Cephalosporin Acremonium sp. Bacteria (Gram +)
4. Citrinin P. citrinum Fungi
5. Palutin P. palutum Fungi and Bacteria
6. Fumagilin Aspergillus furmigatus Protozoa
7. Fusidic acid Fusidium coccineum Bacteria
8. Viridin Trichoderma viridi Fungi
against other microorganism(s). Sir B-12 are found respectively from
Alexander Fleming (1929) was the Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Rhodo
first who invented the wonder drug torula gracilis and Eremothemium
Penicillin from Penicillium nota ashbyi.
tum. Later, Penicillin was also com
mercially produced from P. cryso
(e) Other compounds: An anticance
rous substance, calvacin is present
genum. Later on, other different in the giant Puffball (Cavatia gigan
types of antibiotics were isolated tea), that prevents stomach tumours.
from different fungi. The list of
some fungi along with their pro Similarly, fungi like Ganoderma
duced antibiotics and range of luçdum have promising significant
roles in anticancerous, anti HIV
activity are given above. and antihepatitis-B diseases. The
(b) Alkaloid : Several alkaloids are fungi like Coriolus versicolor have
produced and accumulated in the also anticancerous activity.
sclerotium of Claviceps purpurea 2 Food : Fungi are used as food by
which causes Ergot disease of rye. humans from prehistoric period. Some
Out of several alkaloids, Ergo fungi have been used directly as food
metrine and its semisynthetic ana and some are used in food processing
logues like methyl ergometrine and (a) Direct use: Fruit bodies of some
methyl ergometrine maleate have fungi, like Agaricus brunnescens, A.
prominent uterine action, those
control haemorrhage of mother campestris, Volveriella volvacea, V.
during child's birth, having side diplasia, Pleurotus sajor-caiu,
effect with increase in blood pres Lentinus edodes etc. are used as
sure and decreased milk secretion. food due to their high protein con
tent (21-30% on dry weight) and
(c) Steroid : Rheumatic arthritis, allergy have good amount of lysine, an
and some other diseases are con amino acid; minerals like Na, Ca. K
trolled by steroid. Many fungi have and P; Vitamins like B, C, Dand K
the capacity to synthesize different and very little amount of fat. These
steroids. Steroid like cortisone is are recommended as ideal foods for
produced by Aspergillus niger from heart and diabetic patients. The
plant glycosides by fermentation. above fungi can also grow artifici
(d) Vitamins : Vitamins are the ally at commercial level.
micronutrients required for the (b) Used in food processing : The nutri
growth of living organisms. Vitamin tious food soyabean cannot be
B-complex, Vitamin Aand Vitamin digested easily by human beings.
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291

Soyabeans are fermented by fungi tion : Many tungi are used in the
like Rhizopus oryzae, R. oligospo commerCial production of enzymes
rus to prepare an easily diges and different organic acids. List ot
table and tasty food known as
"tempeh". some fungi along with produced
enzymes and/or acids and their
Several Indian foods such as jalebies, idli, uses are given:
murcha, papadam and toddy, are actually the
fermented products caused by severalfungi like Enzyme
Saccharomyces bayanus for jalebies; Tricho Organic acid Produced fungi Uses

sporon pollulans and Torulopsis candida for idli;

Rhizopus arrhizus for murcha; Saccharomyces Enzymes
cerevisiae for papadam and toddy. 1. Amylase Aspergillus oryzae, Alcohol industry and
Fermentation by yeast, particularly by A. niger in pharmaceuticals.
2. Cellulase Trichodermma reesli Production ofcheese
Rhodotorula and Saccharomyces, results in
quick growth of the organism producing single and hydrolysis of
cell protein (SCP). Because of high nucleic acid cellulose.
3. Invertase
content, the fermented products are not suitable Saccharormyces Paper industry and
for human nutrition, but can be used as feed for cerevisiae confectionary.
animal. 4. Zymase Saccharomyces Ethyle alcohol
cerevisiae production.
3. Fungi in industry : Many fungi are used
in the production of alcohol, bread, Organic acids
cheese, enzyme and organic acids. 1. Citric acid Aspergillus niger, Soft drinks and other
(a) Alcohol production: Alcoholic A. wentil foods. Manufacture
fermentation by fungi is the basis of of ink and leather
brewing industry. The enzyme tanning.
zymase of microorganisms like 2. Fumaric acid Rhizopus stolonifer Manutacture of
yeast is responsible for alcohol pro wetting agents.
duction. 3. Gallic acid Aspergillus gallo Manutacture of ink
The reaction is : myces, Penicillium ard dyes.
glaucum
Zymase
2C,H,OH + 2C0, 4. Gluconic acid Aspergillus nige, In textile, leather,
Yeast
Penicilum pupuro- food and photogra
Wines are produced from grapes or other fruits genum phic industries and
by Saccharomyces ellipsoideus with about 14% also in pharmaceu
alcohol concentration. Beer is brewed from bar ticals.
ley malt by Saccharomyces cerevisiae with 5. Kojic acid Aspergillus oryzae As insecicide and
3-8% alcohol production. antibiotic.

(b) Bread and cake production 6. Itaconic acid Aspergillus terreus, Manufacture of syn
A. itaconicum thetic fibre and
During alcoholic fermentation by plasticisers.
yeast, CO, being released as bub
bles are used in baking industry to 4. Soil fertility : Decomposition of litter
make the breads and cakes as and wood, mainly in the forest, takes
spongy in appearance. place by the combined action of diffe
A) Cheese production :Some species of rent type of fungi. Fungi like Fusarium.
Penicillium (P. roqu/orti and P. Chaetomium, Chitridium, Penicillium.
camembert) are used in the produc Aspergillus etc., can decompose the
tion of Roquefort and Camembert structural polymers such as cellulose
cheese by hydrolysis of fats and also hemicellulose, lipid, protein, starch etc.
to develop specific flavour to The more recalcitrant (persistant) poly
cheese. mers like lignin are decomposed by
(d) Enzyme and organic acid produc white rot fungi of Basidiomycotina. By
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decomposing the organic matters, fungi

help to increase minerals and other sub
stances, thereby the fertility of soil is
increased.
5. Plant nutrition: Several fungal members
like Rhizoctonia, Tricholoma, Boletus,
Phallus, Amanita etc., associated with
the roots of higher plants form myco
rrhizal relationship. The fungal partner
supplies water and minerals and in
turn, they take nutrition from the plant.
6. Manufacture of Phytohormone : Gibbe
rellin, an important phytohormone
produced by Gibberella fujikuroi, the
pathogen of Bakanee disease of rice,
has been used to enhance growth of
many plants.
7. As insecticide : Fungi like Cordyceps
melonthae, Aschersonia aleyroidis,
Empusa sepulchralis etc., are used as
insecticides to control different types of
insects.
8. Biological research : Fungi like Neuros
pora, Yeast etc., have been used in
genetical and cytological studies.
Physarum polysephalum has been used
to study DNA-synthesis and morpho
genesis.
9. Test organism: Some strains of
Aspergillus niger have been used to
detect trace elements like Zn, Cu, and
Mo, even if the substances are present
invery minute quantity in thesubstrate.
These elements when absorbed by the
fungus give a particular colour to the
conidia. Similarly, Neurospora crassa
has been used to detect Vitamin B com
plex.