Description: Phylum Basidiomycota is one of the two phylum of Kingdom Fungi that contains "higher" fungi, which generally tend to be more complex than members of other fungal phyla. Basidiomycota make up 37% of all existing fungi, and their defining feature is the basidium, a group of club-shaped end cells that contain 4 basidiospores that aid them in sexual reproduction. This formation allows members of phylum Basidiomycota to reproduce both sexually and asexually. The abundance of basidiomycotic fungi, coupled with their decomposition capabilities, make them an important part of the carbon cycle
Commercial Importance: Mushrooms are a member of phylum Basidiomycota, and their culinary importance to humans is quite significant: many ancient cultures consumed members of this phylum in order to survive, and today some mushrooms cost as much as $2000 a pound due to their epicurean value.
Example:
Black truffles used for culinary purposes in Italy
Picture taken from: italianfoodnet.com
Phylum Ascomycota
Description: Phylum Ascomycota is the largest phylum of fungi, with 64,000 species being identified as ascomycotic. Members of Ascomycota are distinguished by possessing an "ascus" or sac, which is a microscopic sexual structure that forms ascospores which aid in sexual reproduction. Some members of the phylum, however, do not reproduce sexually. Like phylum Basidiomycota, both types of reproduction occur within the group. Ascomycotic fungi are very versatile: they can spread spores and grow even in very harsh conditions.
Commercial Importance: Phylum Ascomycota contains fungi known as Venturia inaequalis, which causes the commonly known apple tree disease known as apple scab, leading to reduced crop yield and unpleasant fungal lesions on apples. There are many examples of ascomycotic fungi being harmful to human crops, and there are many fewer edible fungi within the phylum compared to phylum Basidiomycota.
Example:
Picture taken from: rainbowtreecare.com
Gross. These diseases and fungus's seem like such a pain in the butt to have to deal with. Can tree service minneapolis help deal with these to try to keep your apples or other things you are trying to grow out of harms way from these fungus's? Thanks for sharing this interesting information!
ReplyDeleteWow thanks I found this really interesting. I think this would be really hard to get rid of. My friend told me about a tree service that actually helps with this kind of stuff. http://shadywoodtreeexperts.com
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