Modern concepts include fungi in the kingdom Mycota. Mycota are divided into two divisions. Mixomycota and Eumycota. Margulis divided fungi into five phyla in modern taxonomy.
1. Zygomycota: Fungi of Zygomycota division are called zygote fungi. The best known fungi of this category are the Chhatala or Mond fungi. Most of them are terrestrial in nature and grow in soil, decaying plants or animal bodies. They produce zoospores and aplanospores. They produce zygospores during sexual reproduction. The number of species in this category is 1,050.
Some fungi- Rhizopus, Mucor, Blakeslea, Mortierella etc.
2. Ascomycota: Fungi of the Ascomycota division are called cyst fungi. Bag fungi are found everywhere in the world. They live as mythical creatures. Fungi like breaking yeast, fission yeast, morel, tafel etc. belong to this category. Sac fungi multiply by ascospores. The number of species in this category is 64,000.
Some fungi- Penicillium, Saccharomyces, Candida, Aspergillus etc.
3. Basidiomycota: Fungi of the Basidiomycota division are called mugur fungi. Mushrooms, jelly and shelf fungi, puffballs and stinghorn fungi belong to this category. Ecologically they are very vital as they decompose dead plants. They produce basidiospores. The number of species in this category is 30,000.

1. Fungi are unicellular or multicellular, filamentous, colonial or mycelial.
2. They are colorless, dead or parasitic.
3. Their nutrition is heterotrophic. That is, he cannot prepare his own food.
4. Their body cannot be divided into roots, stems and leaves. That is, they are thallus shaped.
5. Fungal cells have a well-organized nucleus.
6. Their chromatin bodies contain DNA, RNA and proteins.
7. Their genitalia are unicellular and not covered by a sterile sheath.
8. They do not have transport canals or vascular bundles. That is, they are avascular.
9. Their cell division is amitosis, mitosis and meiosis.
10. Sexual reproduction of fungi is isogamous, anisogamous and eugamous in nature.
11. Sunlight is not essential for their survival.
12. Their stored food is glycogen and oil droplets. It also contains trihalose, sugar, alcohol and lipids.
13. Their cell walls are mainly made of chitin. It also contains cellulose, lipid, protein, glucan and melanin.
14. They reproduce by haploid spores.
15. Their adaptability is severe (5-500C).
16. Multicellular embryos are never formed in their life cycle.

Fungal habitats are diverse. They grow in soil, water, air, plant and animal bodies, decaying organisms or remains, various structures and atralica. Aquatic fungi live on decaying dead bodies in water. Terrestrial fungi grow in organic soil rich in humus.

The word Mycology is derived from the Greek words Mykes meaning fungus and logos meaning knowledge. The branch of biology which deals with the origin, habitat, taxonomy, physical structure, reproduction, commercial production etc. of fungi is called Mycology. A person who specializes in fungi is called a mycologist. Scientist P. Micheli is called the father of mycology or mycology. Scientist D. Bari is called the father of modern mycology. C. J Alexopoulos is called the Linnaeus of mycology because of his early knowledge of fungi. According to Alexopoulos, chlorophyll-free, nucleated, avascular, mycelial structures whose walls are composed of chitin and cellulose and which reproduce asexually and sexually are called fungi.

Most fungi thrive in wet and humid environments. Dystrophic fungi grow on dead or decaying organisms and collect nutrients from them. Parasitic fungi grow on plants and animals. Parasitic fungi can be endoparasitic, ectoparasitic, intercellular and intracellular. The dead fungi that grow on the excrement of herbivores are called coprophilous. Algae and fungi live as mitozoites. They can live as mitozoa on the leaves and roots of higher plants. Such fungi are called mycorrhizal fungi and the related relationships are called mycorrhizae. Epiphytic fungi live on the bark or exterior of higher plants.

The Latin word fungour means rapid growth. Mushrooms or frog umbels are called fungour or fungi because they grow fast. Avascular plant bodies that lack chlorophyll and cannot be divided into roots, stems, and leaves and whose cell walls are composed of chitin are called fungi. Fungi reproduce very quickly and die very quickly. 90,000 species of fungi have been found in the world. However, only 10% are described.

After resting, the nucleus of the zygote divides by meiosis to form immature protoplasts with 4-16 haploid nuclei. They have half +strain and half -strain properties. Each aborted protoplast develops into a flagellated spore. They are called meiospores as they are produced by the process of meiosis. Zoospores and aplanospores germinate under favorable conditions to form new filaments of Ulothrix.

The zygote of Ulothrix has four flagella. It is active for some time. Later the flagella is lost and the wall becomes a resting spore.

Fertilization of + strain and – strain from different filaments takes place. Fertilization results in the formation of a zygote.

Gametes are enclosed by vesicles. They emerge from the gametangium enclosed in vesicles. The vesicle then breaks down and the gametes swim freely.