Plant Pathology: Academic Programs: Courses / Syllabi

PATH(PBIO) 4200/6200 - 4200L/6200L
Introductory Mycology

Morphology, biology, and taxonomy of fungi. Representatives of all major groups of fungi are considered.

Instructor - Charles Mims
Credit Hours - 3 hours. Two lectures and one 3-hour lab period
Course Offered - Fall semester

Prerequisite

(PBIO 1210-1210L and PBIO 1220-1220L ) or (BIOL 1103-1103L and BIOL 1104-1104L).

Course objectives/expected learning outcomes

The objective of this course is to introduce students to the study of organisms included in the Kingdom Fungi. Emphasis is placed upon the morphology and taxonomy of fungi. However, considerable attention also is focused upon the basic biology of fungi including their roles in various ecosystems and their direct and indirect impacts upon humans. Students will receive hands on experience examining numerous macroscopic and microscopic fungal specimens and will be taught to recognize a large number of important species on sight. Students who successfully complete the course should be familiar with all major groups of fungi as well as with many important species and should be well-equipped to enroll in advanced level mycology courses or to work with fungi in industrial settings as well as in biological and biomedical laboratories.

Course Material

Recommended text book is Introductory Mycology by Alexopoulos, Mims and Blackwell, 4th edition, 1996, John wiley and Sons, Inc.

Attendance Policy

There is no attendance policy and no additional assignments.

Grading Policy

The grade is determined on the basis of three 100 point lecture exams and two 100 point lab exams. Tests for grad students differs from those for undergrads. Grading scale is the same as shown above for 3010. Makeups are handled on a case-by-case basis.

Topic Outline

Introduction, course requirements, testing and grading
Characteristics of fungi, conditions necessary for growth, introduction to taxonomy
Myxomycota - the true plasmodial slime molds
Introduction to the Basisiomycota
Basidiomycetes continued: typical life cycle, genetics, etc.
Basidiomycetes continued: Order Aphyllophorales
Basidiomycetes continued: Order Agaricales
Basidiomycetes continued: mushroom growing, edible, poisonous and hallucinogenic species
Basidiomycetes continued: gasteromycetes, Exobasidiales, Dacrymycetales
Mycorrhizae
Basidiomycetes continued: Tremellales, Auriculariales, introduction to the Uredinales
Basidiomycetes continued: Uredinales - the rust fungi
Basidiomycetes continued: Ustilaginales - the smut fungi
Introduction to Ascomycetes and Deuteromycetes
Deuteromycetes continued: Saccardoan classification
Deuteromycetes as plant and humans pathogens and as industrially important organisms
Ascomycetes continued: typical life cycle, ascus and ascocarp types
Ascomycetes continued: Archisascomycetes and Saccharomycetales
Ascomycetes continued: Eurotiales and ascomycetes with perithecia
Ascomycetes with perithecia continued and the powdery mildew fungi
Ascomycetes with apothecia and ascostroma
Zygomycota
Chytridiomycota
Oomycota
Oomycota continued: the Saproleginales and Peronosporales
Fungi as human pathogens
Human pathogens continued