Introduction to Fungi and Agricultural Importance

Notes

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Kumasi, Ghana CS 156: MYCOLOGY Dr. Daniel Agbetiameh Department of Crop and Soil Sciences Faculty of Agriculture College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Thursday, June 19, 2025 1 LECTURE ONE INTRODUCTION TO FUNGI & FUNGI-LIKE ORGANISMS www.knust.edu.gh www.knust.edu.gh www.knust.edu.gh Thursday, June 19, 2025 2 Introduction to Fungi ▪ Mycology is the study of fungi ▪ Mycology: Gr. mykes = mushroom + logos = discourse. ▪ Etymologically, mycology is the study of mushrooms. ▪ Inventor of microscope – van Leeuwenhoek ▪ Founder of the science of mycology - Pier’ Antonio Micheli www.knust.edu.gh www.knust.edu.gh www.knust.edu.gh Thursday, June 19, 2025 3 What are Fungi ▪ Fungi are eukaryotic, spore-producing, achlorophyllous organisms with absorptive nutrition that may reproduce both sexually and asexually and whose filamentous, branched somatic structures, known as hyphae, typically surrounded by cell walls containing chitin, cellulose or both of these substances with many other complex carbohydrates. www.knust.edu.gh www.knust.edu.gh www.knust.edu.gh Thursday, June 19, 2025 4 Key Concepts ▪ Kingdom Fungi (the true fungi) is a monophy...