What is the Difference Between Plants and Fungi?

The main differences between plants and fungi are as follows:

1. Cell Wall Components: Plants have cellulose as the major component of their cell walls, while fungi have chitin as a major component of their cell walls.
2. Photosynthesis: Plants have chlorophyll, which allows them to perform photosynthesis and produce their own food using sunlight, while fungi lack chlorophyll and cannot perform photosynthesis. Instead, fungi absorb nutrients from the environment.
3. Nutrition: Plants are autotrophic, meaning they can produce their own food through photosynthesis, while fungi are heterotrophic, obtaining nutrients by breaking down organic material.
4. Trophic Level: Plants are primary producers in an ecosystem, while fungi are decomposers.
5. Reproduction: Fungi reproduce through the release of spores, while plants reproduce using seeds, cones, and pollen.
6. Structure: Fungi have filaments called hyphae, which form a network called mycelium, while plants have roots, stems, and leaves for support and photosynthesis.
7. Food Storage: Plants store food as starch, while fungi store food as glycogen.

Comparative Table: Plants vs Fungi

Differences between plants and fungi can be categorized into several aspects, such as cell wall structure, mode of nutrition, and reproduction. The following table highlights the main differences between plants and fungi:

In summary, fungi have chitin cell walls, do not possess chlorophyll for photosynthesis, digest food before uptake, lack roots, stems, and leaves, and are heterotrophic. In contrast, plants have cellulose cell walls, contain chlorophyll for photosynthesis, do not digest food before uptake, have roots, stems, and leaves, and are autotrophic.