Question

Ergot of rye causing organism
A. Has a coenocytic and aseptate mycelium
B. Is a sac fungus
C. It has a cellulosic cell wall
D. Reproduce by motile asexual spores

Answer 1

The disease is caused by the fungus which causes the disease in cereal grasses especially rye.

Complete answer:
The fungus which causes the ergot disease is the Claviceps purpurea. It mostly infects plants like rye, wheat, barley, etc. This fungus has the following scientific classification:
Kingdom: Fungus
Division: Ascomycota
Family: Clavicipitaceae
Genus: Claviceps

Option A: The coenocytic and aseptate mycelium are the characteristics of the Phycomycetes fungi. Therefore this is an incorrect option.

Option B: The fungus causing the Ergot of rye belongs to the Ascomycota commonly known as sac fungi. These groups of fungi have septate hyphae and reproduce asexually by non-motile conidiospores and sexually by ascospores. Therefore this is the correct option.

Option C: The cellulosic cell walls are not found in any fungus as the cell wall of the fungus are made up of chitin while the cell walls of the plants are made up of cellulose therefore this is an incorrect option.

Option D: The fungus causing the ergot of rye reproduces asexually by nonmotile conidiospores not by motile spores therefore this is an incorrect option.

This class of fungi produces the microscopic spores inside special, elongated cells or sacs known as ascii. The dominant form of propagation in this class of fungi.

Hence, the correct answer is option (B)

Note: The mammals and humans which consume the grains contaminated by ergot can get affected by the ergotism as these grains then release alkaloids which cause this disease in humans.