Question

Describe the role of hyphae in fungal reproduction and food intake

Answer 1

In glomeromycetes (formerly zygomycetes), haploid hyphae of two individuals fuse, forming a gametangium, a specialized cell structure that becomes a fertile gamete-producing cell. The gametangium develops into a zygospore, a thick-walled spore formed by the union of gametes. When the zygospore germinates, it undergoes meiosis, generating new haploid hyphae, which may then form asexual sporangiospores. These sporangiospores allow the fungus to rapidly disperse and germinate into new genetically identical haploid fungal mycelia.
These hyphae stretch into food sources and absorb nutrients from the environment. Because hyphae are able to reach very far, a fungus can increase its surface area for absorption of more nutrients.

Answer 2

Just to add to what @ninhi5 has said, the plant body or thallus, of most of the higher fungi is called a mycelium.

The mycelium is made up of thread-like structures called hypha. These hypha may or may not have cross walls. The cross walls are called septa. A hyphae with septa is called septate and in other case is know as aseptate.

Hyphae produces cushion-like appressoria on the host surface and from these appressoria specialised simple or branched projections called haustoria are formed. Haustoria penetrate the host tissue and act as nutrient absorbing organs. The latter do not rupture the host protoplasmic membrane but invaginates itself into the cell thus greatly increasing the absorptive surface of the fungus.