Question

Ustilago is a member of kingdom –
A) Monera
B) Fungi
C) Plantae
D) Animalia

Answer 1

Hint: Ustilago is a yeast which mostly affects the sweet corn and its tumour-like structure form the most prominent feature of its infection.

Complete Answer:
Option A: Kingdom Monera is a kingdom containing unicellular organisms exhibiting a prokaryotic cellular organization. The most prominent member of this group is bacteria. The members of this group are single-celled and lack a true nuclear membrane. They do not include yeast. Therefore, this is the incorrect option.

Option B: Kingdom Fungi represents a group of eukaryotic organisms including microbes such as molds and yeasts and the most common ones i.e. mushrooms. The cell wall of these organisms shows the presence of chitin which distinguishes them from other groups of organisms. As fungi secrete digestive enzymes, they acquire their food by absorbing nutrients dissolved in the solution. Ustilago is a type of yeast inhabiting either the plant environments or the dead soils. Therefore, this is the correct option.

Option C: Kingdom Plantae has all the plant varieties all under one roof. The members of the plantae kingdom are eukaryotic, autotrophic, and multicellular in organization. They possess a rigid cell wall, and exhibit the presence of both chloroplasts and chlorophyll pigments. Plants are non-motile. They do not include yeast. Therefore, this is the incorrect option.

Option D: Animalia includes multicellular eukaryotic organisms. The members of this group carry out respiration, consume organic material, move, and exhibit the natural tendency to undergo sexual reproduction. They develop complex interactions amongst each other and also with their environments by being an active member of the complex food web. They do not include yeast. Therefore, this is the incorrect option.

Thus, the correct option is b) Fungi.

Note: Ustilago comprises 200 different kinds of smut fungi parasite. It is often known as a dimorphic fungus which can grow in two different forms – either as a single-celled fungi along dead plants or as a filamentous mycelial form.