FUNGI

✔Fungi is an achlorophyllous plant that relies on otherorganisms or organic matter to survive.✔Fungi has many roles in the our community. For most part itis highly beneficial to both human and the environment.✔A minor role of fungi in the forest community is its parasiticrole. They also cause the majority of known plant diseases,and many diseases of animals and of man.

INTRODUCTION

Fungi are categorized as:1. Saprophytic fungi

- fungi which rely on non-living tissues to surviveand are important in the decomposition of organicmatter. Saprophytes are not in vital associationwith living tissues.

2. Parasitic fungi- fungi which rely on living tissues to survive

and is the group where most pathogensbelong. Parasites are in vital association withliving tissues.

3. Symbiotic fungi- fungi that form relationship with other

organisms and relies on the relationship tosurvive, they are niether parasites orsarophytes.

Fungi growth requirements1. water2. A favorable temperature3. an abundance oxygen4. a digestible food or potential energy source5. light6. pH range7. vitamins and minor elements

Means of dissemination of fungi

Forms and locations of survival of fungi between crops

Types of common diseases1. Foliage diseasesNeedle diseases of conifers. At first,few brown needles appear, mixingwith green needles. The numberof brown needles gradually increase.In case of pine, brown stripesappear and later coalesce to turnthe whole needle to brown color.

Leaf diseases of broad leaved trees. The symptoms startas minute spots (lesions) on green leaves. Lesions varydepending on the kind of diseases.

2. Bark diseases - Bark of twig, branch and trunk is invaded. Lesions on the bark are completely extended around forming sunken dead areas in stem, twigs and branches (cankerous) structures. In some diseases, enlargement or swelling of the tissue in the branches can be observed.

3. Root diseases - Root, root crown and finally, basal parts of the trunk are invaded. Other symptoms include discoloration (necrosis) of the root system: yellowing, browning and wilting of whole crown; blighting of the leaves can also be observed. Die back of seedling/tree is also encountered in some root diseases.

Plant diseases

Diseases common to various plant1. Damping off – seeds and germinated seeds are invaded by the

organismHost Range – pines, eucalyptus, agoho, mollucan sau, cinchona

and kaatoan bangkalControl – sterilization of the soil and application of fungicide in

the seeds before planting

2. Powdery mildew – formed on the lower or the upper leafsurfaces, finally, turning the whole leaf to yellow andgradually all leaves defoliate

Host Range – various broad leaf treesControl – burn or bury the infected parts

3. Rust – attack on the upper or lower portion of theleaves

Host Range – teak, alnus, mulberry, bamboosControl – burning of the diseased leaves

4. Scooty mold – leaves, petioles, twigs and branches areparticularly or completely covered with black mycelialcolonies of the fungus

Host Range – gmelina, mangiumControl – thorugh thinning and prunning for suppressing mold,

if damage is serious, use organic phosphorous chemicals

Importance to Crop Protection and to treesControlling pests and diseases on such a mass

produced crop is crucial to individual farmersand the economy. Pest forecasts can make thedifference between a wrecked harvest and aprofitable one that uses the least amount ofchemicals possible, saving time, money andreducing the crop’s environmental footprint.

✔ Fungi are important to trees because of theeffects on photosynthetic activity. When thefoliage of the tree is affected this means thatits photosynthetic ability or its ability toproduce food is compromised, as a result, theother physiological processes of the tree isalso affected. Depending on the severity of theinfection sometimes this disease may causethe death of the trees.

THE END

BY: SAG