Dr Kavya studies Trichoderma, a fungus of the Deuteromycetes that is used to protect crops…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Dr Kavya studies Trichoderma, a fungus of the Deuteromycetes that is used to protect crops. One day she finds that it also makes ascospores in asci. What happens to its classification? Why were the Deuteromycetes called imperfect in the first place?
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
Phycomycetes: aseptate, coenocytic mycelium, zygospores (Mucor, Rhizopus, Albugo). Ascomycetes, the sac fungi: septate mycelium, conidia, ascospores in asci (yeast, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Claviceps, Neurospora). Basidiomycetes: basidiospores on basidia (Agaricus, Ustilago, Puccinia). Deuteromycetes, the imperfect fungi: only the asexual stage is known (Alternaria, Colletotrichum, Trichoderma).
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. Imperfect. The Deuteromycetes are called imperfect because only their asexual or vegetative stage is known.
Step 2. The new find. Ascospores in asci are the sexual spores of the Ascomycetes.
Step 3. The change. Once its sexual stage is known, the fungus is moved from the Deuteromycetes to the Ascomycetes.
Answer: it moves to the Ascomycetes; Deuteromycetes are imperfect because their sexual stage is unknown.
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