List the characteristics of Fungi and draw a labeled diagram of a mould fungus. (b) How are fungi useful to man?

Here are the answers to question 1 in English:

1. (a) (i) List the characteristics of Fungi

• Fungi are eukaryotic organisms.
• They are heterotrophic, absorbing nutrients from their environment.
• Their cell walls are made of chitin.
• They primarily reproduce using spores.
• They lack chlorophyll and cannot perform photosynthesis.
• Their bodies are typically composed of thread-like structures called hyphae, which form a network called a mycelium.

1. (a) (ii) Draw a large labeled diagram of a mould Fungus such as a Bread Mould (Rhizopus)
I cannot draw diagrams, but a diagram of Rhizopus should include and label the following parts:

• Sporangiophore (the upright stalk)
• Sporangium (the spherical structure at the top of the sporangiophore, containing spores)
• Spores (the reproductive cells inside the sporangium)
• Columella (the dome-shaped structure inside the sporangium)
• Rhizoids (root-like structures that anchor the fungus and absorb nutrients)
• Stolon (the horizontal hypha connecting sporangiophores)
• Mycelium (the entire network of hyphae)

1. (b) How are Fungi useful to man?
Fungi are useful to humans in several ways:

• Food: Some fungi are edible (e.g., mushrooms), and yeast is used in baking bread and brewing alcoholic beverages.
• Medicine: They are a source of antibiotics (e.g., penicillin) and immunosuppressants.
• Decomposition: They break down dead organic matter, recycling nutrients in ecosystems.
• Industry: Used in the production of enzymes, organic acids (e.g., citric acid), and vitamins.

1. (c) How would you test for the presence of reducing sugar in a piece of bread?
To test for the presence of reducing sugars in bread, you would use the Benedict's test: