Applied Mycology

The fungal kingdom consists of a wide variety of organisms with a diverse range of forms and functions. Fungi have been utilized for thousands of years and their importance in agriculture, medicine, food production and the environmental sciences is well known. New advances in genomic and metabolomic technologies have allowed further developments in the use of fungi in industry and medicine, increasing the need for a compilation of new applications, developments and technologies across the mycological field. Applied Mycology brings together a range of contributions, highlighting the diverse nature of current research. Chapters include discussions of fungal associations in the environment, agriculture and forestry, long established and novel applications of fungi in fermentation, the use of fungi in the pharmaceutical industry, the growing recognition of fungal infections, current interests in the use fungal enzymes in biotechnology and the new and emerging field of myconanotechnology. Demonstrating the broad coverage and importance of mycological research, this book will be of interest to researchers and students in all biological sciences.

This book explores the developments in important aspects of fungi related to the environment, industrial mycology, microbiology, biotechnology, and agriculture. It discusses at length both basic and applied aspects of fungi and provides up-to-date laboratory-based data. Of the estimated three million species of fungi on Earth, according to Hawksworth and coworkers, more than 100,000 have been described to date. Many fungi produce toxins, organic acids, antibiotics and other secondary metabolites, and are sources of useful biocatalysts such as cellulases, xylanases, proteases and pectinases, to mention a few. They can also cause diseases in animals as well as plants and many are able to break down complex organic molecules such as lignin and pollutants like xenobiotics, petroleum and polycyclic aromatic compounds. Current research on mushrooms focuses on their hypoglycemic, anti-cancer, anti-pathogenic and immunity-enhancing activities. This ready-reference resource on various aspects of fungi is intended for graduate and post-graduate students as well as researchers in life sciences, microbiology, botany, environmental sciences and biotechnology.

This 1984 book resulted from a symposium held by the British Mycological Society to bring together the many diverse areas of study of the genus Fusarium. Among the contributors to this volume were scientists working on applied and fundamental aspects of the subject. The book highlights the importance of the genus pathology, animal husbandry, human disease and as biodeteriogens. Yet other Fusarium spp. are sources of useful biochemicals: for example, one species is utilised for the manufacture of microbial protein for human consumption. All these topics are covered in this volume, which with continue to be of interest to a wide range of biologists and students.

This first volume in a new series emphasizes the role of fungi in the fertility of soil and plant yield, covering such topics as biodegradation of plant litter and pesticides, microbial interactions, mycorrhizal symbionts, and mathematical modeling of diseases. Major sections treat mycorrhizae and e

Contributors cover current knowledge relevant to the mycotic diseases of humans, fish, and shellfish. Also covered is the use of molds to biologically control insects that yearly cause enormous crop losses and a consequent drain in the economy of the nations of the world. The problems posed by fungi

This latest volume addresses the contemporary issues related to recombination in filamentous fungi, EST data mining, fungal intervening sequences, gene silencing, DNA damage response in filamentous fungi, cfp genes of Neurospora, developmental gene sequences, site-specific recombination, heterologous gene expression, hybridization and microarray technology to enumerate biomass. This volume also analyse the current knowledge in the area of hydrophobins and genetic regulation of carotenoid biosynthesis. Over fifty world renowned scientist from both industry and academics provided in-depth information in the field of fungal genes and genomics.

This volume supplements the other books on this subject by providing much information that is not readily available elsewhere. It opens with a taxonomy of fungi in foods and feeds and then considers ecology, spoilage, and mycotoxin production by fungi in foods and feeds. This is followed by a series

This book is intended to provide both students and researchers with a broad background to some of the fastest developing areas in current applied mycology. A range of contributions are given to highlight the diverse nature of current applied mycology research. The opening chapter of this volume provides some examples of how mycology is often neglected, and presents a case for considering mycology as a megascience. The subsequent chapters have been loosely grouped into four sections in order to reflect the wider 'customers' or context of the particular mycological areas or activities. In each section, contributions that show either new applications or developments of well-established technology, or novel research into new technology or environments are included. The section on environment, agriculture and forestry is represented by contributions that illustrate novel fungal associations or new aspects of well-known interactions. The section on foods and medicine reflects the long history of applied mycology in the manufacture of alcoholic beverages, with two chapters devoted to beer production and winery spoilage issues. Chapters in the section on biotechnology and emerging science reflect some of the current interests in fungal enzymes and their importance in broader environmental processes and applications.