Fungi

• Fungi — eukaryotes; yeast (unicellular), moulds (multicellular).
• Useful — bread yeast (Saccharomyces), penicillin from Penicillium, mushrooms as food.
• Harmful — food spoilage (bread mould), athlete's foot, crop diseases.
• Grow in moist warm conditions.

1. Yeast — ferments sugar → CO₂ + alcohol (bread rises, idli batter).
2. Moulds — fuzzy growth on bread, pickles if not sealed.
3. Antibiotics — penicillin discovered from fungus Penicillium (Fleming).
4. Decomposers — fungi break down dead organic matter.
5. Diagram (text) — hyphae network of bread mould Rhizopus.
6. Real world — baker's yeast; cheese ripening; tinea (ringworm) fungal skin infection.

Yeast in bread dough (NCERT activity)

Step 1 — Mix flour, water, sugar, small amount yeast.
Step 2 — Keep warm 1–2 hours.
Step 3 — Yeast ferments sugar → CO₂ gas bubbles.
Step 4 — Dough rises; baking sets spongy texture.

• Calling mushroom a plant (fungi separate kingdom).
• Misconception: all fungi edible (many poisonous).
• Keeping bread moist uncovered — mould grows quickly.
• Confusing antibiotic from fungi with antiseptic on skin.

• How is yeast useful in baking?
• Name the fungus source of penicillin.
• Why does bread mould appear on damp bread?

Open the Practice tab for graded questions on Fungi.