ABSTRACT
Fungi are eukaryotic, carbon-heterotrophic microorganisms. To satisfy their need for organic nutrients, most fungal species live a saprophytic lifestyle. It has been estimated that the fungal kingdom contains more than 1.5 million species, but only around 100,000 have so far been described, with yeast, mold and mushroom being the most familiar (Hawksworth 1991). Fungi are important pathogens of plants that cause more signifi cant yield losses than bacteria or viruses. Numerous fungi are devastating to human and plants and are a serious threat to agricultural industry and human health (Tournas 2005, San-Blas et al. 2000).
