explain sexual reproduction in fungi
Answers
In fungi, sexual reproduction involves the following three phases:
1. Plasmogamy
2. Karyogamy and
3. Meiosis
These three processes occur in a regular -sequence and at a specific time, duriug the sexual stage of each species.
Plasmogamy
It is the union of protoplasts of reproductive hyphae or cells, one from the male and the other from
the female to bring about the nuclei of the two parents close together as a pair. However, the two
nuclei do not fuse with each other. Such a cell is called a dikaryon. The dikaryotic condition is
unique to fungi and may continue for several generations as the two nuclei (dikaryon) divide
simultaneously during cell division. These are passed on to the daughter hypha.
Karyogamy
The fusion of the two nuclei which takes place in the next phase is called karyogamy. It may
immediately follow plasmogamy as in lower fungi, or it may be delayed for a long time as in
higher fungi.
Meiosis
Karyogamy which eventually occurs in all sexually reproducing fungi is sooner or later followed
by meiosis producing four genetically different spores.