Slide 1
Phylum Basidiomycota includes the classic mushrooms, puffballs, and shelf fungi
They are important decomposers in forest ecosystems because they digest cellulose and lignin.
This is a monophyletic group and this group includes some important plant pathogens known as the rusts, smuts
Some members of this group are also Mycorrhizae.
The life cycle of this group is characterized by basidia which are club-shaped structures that house the sexual spores.
Slide 2
The basidiomycete sexual life cycle shows karyogamy, plasmogamy, and the formation of the dikaryon.
Two individuals of opposite mating type fuse together during plasmogamy to form the dikaryon - in this group the dikaryon is the basidium.
Within the dikaryon, karyogamy takes place to produce the diploid stage.
The diploid cells undergo meiosis to produce haploid spores. These spores are then released from the parent fungus to start the new generation.
Slide 3
Important members of this group include the rusts and smuts - diseases that affect plants.
Wheat rust, for example, can reduce wheat yields up to 40% and are economically important for this reason.
Cedar apple rust is a disease that over winters on cedar trees and then infects apples and related species.
Corn smut is a basidiomycete disease that reduces corn yields - it is however, an edible fungus and is eaten in Mexico where it is called cuitlacoche.