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Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungus, including their taxonomy, genetics, biochemistry properties, and ethnomycology. (2025). 9780444506573, Elsevier. ISBN 9780444506573 Fungi can be a source of tinder, Edible mushroom, traditional medicine, as well as entheogens, poison, and fungal infection. are among the most heavily utilized members of the fungus kingdom, particularly in food manufacturing.
Mycology branches into the field of phytopathology, the study of plant diseases. The two disciplines are closely related, because the vast majority of plant pathogens are fungi. A biologist specializing in mycology is called a mycologist.
Many fungi produce , antibiotics, and other secondary metabolites. For example, the cosmopolitan genus Fusarium and their toxins associated with fatal outbreaks of alimentary toxic aleukia in humans were extensively studied by Abraham Z. Joffe.
Fungi are fundamental for life on earth in their roles as symbiosis, e.g. in the form of , insect symbionts, and . Many fungi are able to break down complex organic compound biomolecules such as lignin, the more durable component of wood, and pollutants such as , petroleum, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. By decomposing these molecules, fungi play a critical role in the global carbon cycle.
Fungi and other organisms traditionally recognized as fungi, such as oomycetes and myxomycetes (slime molds), often are economically and socially important, as some Fungal disease of animals (including humans) and of plants.
Apart from pathogenic fungi, many fungal species are very important in controlling the plant diseases caused by different pathogens. For example, species of the filamentous fungal genus Trichoderma are considered one of the most important biological control agents as an alternative to chemical-based products for effective crop disease management.
Field meetings to find interesting species of fungi are known as 'forays', after the first such meeting organized by the Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club in 1868 and entitled "A foray among the funguses".
Some fungi can cause disease in humans and other animals; the study of pathogenic fungi that infect animals is referred to as pathogenic fungi. (2025). 9781913652135, Caister Academic Press. ISBN 9781913652135
The Middle Ages saw little advancement in the body of knowledge about fungi. However, the invention of the printing press allowed authors to dispel superstitions and misconceptions about the fungi that had been perpetuated by the classical authors.
The start of the modern age of mycology begins with Pier Antonio Micheli's 1737 publication of Nova plantarum genera. Published in Florence, this seminal work laid the foundations for the systematic classification of grasses, mosses and fungi. He originated the still current genus names Polyporus and Tuber, both dated 1729 (though the descriptions were later amended as invalid by modern rules).
The founding nomenclaturist Carl Linnaeus included fungi in his binomial naming system in 1753, where each type of organism has a two-word name consisting of a genus and species (whereas up to then organisms were often designated with Latin phrases containing many words). He originated the scientific names of numerous well-known mushroom taxa, such as Boletus and Agaricus, which are still in use today. During this period, fungi were still considered to belong to the plant kingdom, so they were categorized in his Species Plantarum. Linnaeus' fungal taxa were not nearly as comprehensive as his plant taxa, however, grouping together all gilled mushrooms with a stem in genus Agaricus. Thousands of gilled species exist, which were later divided into dozens of diverse genera; in its modern usage, Agaricus only refers to mushrooms closely related to the common shop mushroom, Agaricus bisporus. (2025). 9780691180373, Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691180373 For example, Linnaeus gave the name Agaricus deliciosus to the saffron milk-cap, but its current name is Lactarius deliciosus. On the other hand, the field mushroom Agaricus campestris has kept the same name ever since Linnaeus's publication. The English word "agaric" is still used for any gilled mushroom, which corresponds to Linnaeus's use of the word.
Although mycology was historically considered a branch of botany, the 1969 discovery of fungi's close relationship to animals resulted in the study's reclassification as an independent field. The term mycology and the complementary term mycologist are traditionally attributed to M.J. Berkeley in 1836. However, mycologist appeared in writings by English botanist Robert Kaye Greville as early as 1823 in reference to Schweinitz.
Another major component of international trade over recent years has been Edible mushroom and medicinal mushrooms. While many fungal species can be cultivated in large farming installations, the cultivation of some coveted species has yet to be fully understood, which means that there are many species that can only be found naturally in the wild. While the demand of wild mushroom species has increased worldwide over recent years, the rarity of these species has not changed. Even still, mushroom hunting has become a key factor in local economies.
Increased scientific knowledge of fungal diversity has led to biotechnological advances in food manufacturing. (2025). 9780444506573, Elsevier. ISBN 9780444506573 Humans have utilized this knowledge by cultivating various types of fungi, particularly . There are over 500 species of yeasts that have been cultivated for different purposes, the most common of which is Saccharomyces cerevisiae, also known as baker's yeast. As its common name suggests, S. cerevisiae has been used for winemaking, baking, and brewing since ancient times.
Fermentation is one of the earliest forms of food preservation, with the earliest recorded use dating back over 13,000 years ago in Israel. The cultivation of bacteria and fungi, particularly yeasts, have been used for centuries to increase the storage life of , , , and other foods. Fermentation also plays a significant role in the production of various food products and alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine. About 90% of the world's beer production comes from lager beer and 5% from ale beer, while the rest is from spontaneous fermentation of a variety of yeasts and bacteria. Production of alcoholic beverages play significant roles in the economics of many countries, with beer often being a crucial export.
Mushrooms produce large amounts of vitamin D when exposed to Ultraviolet. Penicillin, ciclosporin, griseofulvin, cephalosporin and psilocybin are examples of drugs that have been isolated from molds or other fungi.Hyde, K.D., Baldrian, P., Chen, Y. et al (2024). "Current trends, limitations and future research in the fungi?."
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Cited literature
(1976). 9780521210133, Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521210133
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