Definition of Fungus and Somatic Structures
Fungus is Latin word meaning mushroom.
Definition:
Alexopoulus and Mims 1979 defined fungus as eukaryotic or nucleated spore bearing , achlorophyllous organism generally produced by sexual or asexual method and whose filamentous branched somatic structure is typically covered by cell wall and cell wall further consists of either cellulose or chitin or glucon or some other complex organic carbohydrate.
Somatic Structures:
1. Haustoria:
They are nothing but organs for absorption. It is the lateral outgrowth of intercellular or superficial hyphae which will help to absorb food and nutrients from the host. They are of different shapes and size ranging from knob like structures to simple, lobed, branched, and coiled and they are able to penetrate only in the cell wall and not in the plasma membrane.
2. Appressoria (Apprimere- to Press Against):
These are localized swellings of the tip of germ tube or older hyphae that develop in response to contact with the host. In simple these are special structures for attachment in the early stage of infection. Form these a minute infection peg usually grows and enters the epidermal cell of the host.