Some Bioactive And Possible Nutrient Composition Of The Bracket Fungus Polyporus Species:- Okoroafor Chukwuma J

ABSTRACT

Fungi are eukaryotes that occupy an odd place in our perspective of living organisms. (Voogt and Osborne 1973). Early mycologists have been able to classify fungus into four phyla base on their edibility, morphology and reproduction. Based on morphology, some fungus are in bracket form. Bracket fungus are shelf-like in structure; some thin and delicate while some large and robust (Salah, 1818). Brackets like, labryntinoid or tooth like, not readily separable from the rest of the fruiting body. Bracket fungus are wood rotters par excellence. It is common therefore, to find bracket fungi on logs, stumps, branches, or twigs. Some are parasite and growing on living trees. A few such as the rooted Polyporus, because of their tough, woody consistency, are not regarded as edible but have other economic uses. (Amnurate, 1991). Fungi generally play a great role in medicine, industry and Agriculture. (Ailler, 1998). We smile at the aroma of yeast in fresh baked bread, yet we are irritated by the welts of a ringworm infection. Rusts and smuts ruin some of our valuable crops. But we rarely consider the vital role offungus as decomposers, allowing new plants to replace the old.