Question

The only holocarpic fungus is
A. Pythium debaryanum
B. Phytophthora infestans
C. Peronospora destructor
D. Synchytrium endobioticum

Answer 1

Hint: In some of the lower fungi the thallus is more or less a spherical, single-celled structure. The latter produces the asexual or sexual cells. Such fungi are called holocarpic.

Complete Answer:
- Holocarpic is a fungus in which the whole thallus is divided into a reproductive sporangium when mature. In Holocarpic fungus, the entire thallus of fungus becomes changed into a reproductive cell.
- Fungi can reproduce in both modes, the sexual and the asexual mode. Yet, there is another category of reproduction wherein the vegetative plant body separates and develops into the new individual of the same species.
- Certain fungi such as Synchytrium endobioticum, the entire thallus gets converted into one or more reproductive bodies and the vegetative and reproductive phases do not occur together and are called holocarpic fungi.

Thus, the correct option is D. i.e. Synchytrium endobioticum.

Note: Synchytrium endobioticum is a holocarpic endoparasite. It is a holocarpic fungus because the thallus is naked and unicellular. The thallus forms a mass of naked, uninucleate amoeboid group of protoplasm. The fungus is an endoparasite due to the fact that it is endobiotic and present as a parasite in the epidermal cells of the host.