Applied Mycology

Abstract

The fungal kingdom consists of a wide variety of organisms with a diverse range of forms and functions. They are ubiquitous in nature, having been recovered from almost every ecological niche – from deep-sea sediments to the jet stream. The utilization and application of fungi by mankind has a long and varied history that probably predates any written records. This utilization includes the very early use of edible fruiting bodies as foods, and the 2000–3000-year-old histories of fungi in brewing, baking and as medicinal treatments. Mankind’s use of fungi has broadened and grown considerably in the last 100 years. Well-known examples of this include the discovery and production of antibiotics and the wider utilization of fungi in the food industry, where they are used commercially, both as food products and in the production of compounds and enzymes for food processing (e.g. citric acid and pectinases). The association of many fungi with plants and invertebrates has resulted in their use in agriculture as both biological control agents against plant pests and diseases, and as plant growth stimulants such as mycorrhizal inoculants. Although all of these applications could be considered as relatively long-established processes, new applications continue to be developed. Recent examples include the development of the commercial production of a mycoprotein food product, continuing advances in the environmental remediation of soils and industrial wastes, and the identification and production of a wide range of enzymes and compounds for biotechnology. Within the biotechnology area there has been a particular growth in the application of mycology, and current research includes the use of fungi in the production of biofuels, and fungally mediated chemical transformations.