What is the Mode of Nutrition in Fungi?

Fungi are microscopic or macroscopic, non-chlorophyllated, spore bearing, filamentous, heterotrophic thallophytes which reproduce asexually and sexually.

•       Mode of Nutrition is Heterotrophic and absorptive

•       Secrete digestive enzymes

•       Fungus actually “lives on the food”

•       Feed by absorption

Modes of Nutrition:

A) saprotrophic: feeds on dead and decaying organic matter

B) parasitism: obtain nutrients from the host

•       Ectoparasites : seen on the surface of the host eg: Erysiphae

•       Endoparasites: Mycelium present inside host tissue eg: Puccinia

•       Obligatory parasitism: Strict parasites eg: Puccinia

•       Facultative parasites: can live as parasites or saprobes eg: Fusarium

C) Symbiosis: mutually beneficial association with other organisms

 Eg: Lichen: Algae fungal symbiosis, Mycorrhizae: Symbiosis of fungus with higher plants

Crustose Lichen

Mycorrhizae

D) Predatory fungus: Carnivorous fungi or predaceous fungi are fungi that derive some or most of their nutrients from trapping and eating microscopic or other minute animals.

Eg: Arthrobotrys

Watch this video for better understanding