Ascomycetes are also known as sac fungi. It includes pigment containing moulds, yeasts, morels etc. They are saprobic and act as a decomposer. Hyphae are septate except in yeast where they are unicellular. The septa give rise to central pores known as septal pores. They allow transport of materials including nutrients and waste product between adjacent cells. They do not possess motile structures and their cell wall is made up of chitin. Reproduction occurs by sexual as well as asexual methods of reproduction. An asexual method of reproduction includes conidia formation. It provides color to the fungus. It is the most common mode in which conidiophores are produced. However in yeasts it occurs by budding and fission. Sexual method of reproduction includes fusion of gametes and gametangial contact. Plasmogamy and karyogamy are two steps of fertilization. Karyogamy occurs after plasmogamy with an intermediate phase referred as dikaryophase. Cells which have two nuclei are known as Dikaryotic cell. They act as parent cells which plays a vital role in karyogamy and meiosis. Ascospores are later formed in the ascus. They are 4 to 8 in number. These Ascospores belong to different mating types. Asci may occur singly or in groups known as ascocarps. They are of different size and shapes.
It includes yeast, apergillus, penicillin, nuerospora, claviceps, cup fungi, morels and truffles.
