Question

The branch of science which deals with the study of fungi is called___________. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words.

Answer 1

A branch of science which deals with the study of fungi is mentioned in the five-kingdom classification.

Complete answer:
Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi, including the biochemical and genetic properties.
A biologist specializing in mycology is called a ‘Mycologist’. Mycology branches into the field of phytopathology, the study of plant diseases, and the two disciplines remain closely related because the vast majority of plant pathogens are fungi. It is believed that humans started collecting mushrooms as food in prehistoric times. Mushrooms were first written about in the works of Euripides.
Hence, Mycology is the correct answer. Mushrooms produce a large number of vitamin D when exposed to UV light. Penicillin, ciclosporin, griseofulvin, cephalosporin, and psilocybin are examples of drugs that have been isolated from moulds or other fungi.
Many fungi produce toxins, antibiotics, and other secondary metabolites. Fungi are fundamental for life on earth in their roles as symbionts, example-in the form of mycorrhizae, insect symbionts, and lichens. Many fungi are able to break down complex organic bio molecules such as lignin, the more durable component of wood, and the pollutants such as xenobiotics, petroleum, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. By the decomposition of these molecules, fungi play a critical role in the global carbon cycle. Some fungi can cause disease in humans and other animals. The study of pathogenic fungi that infect animals is referred to as medical mycology.

Note: The term ‘Mycology’ and the complementary term mycologist were first used in 1836 by M.J Berkeley.