**Question:**Mushroom-forming fungi and other basidiomycetes spend most of their lives in what life cycle stage?**Instructions:**Select an answer and submit. For keyboard navigation, use the up/down arrow keys to select an answer.**Options:**a. Basidiocarp. b. Mushroom. c. Mycelium. d. Secondary mycelium. e. Basidiospores.

Due to the existence of gill-like projections on the underneath of the cap, the basidiomycetes that produce mushrooms are occasionally referred to as "gill fungus." The basidia are born atop compacted hyphae, which are what are mistakenly called the "gills."Answer: The correct option is d secondary mycelium. Basidiomycetes can reproduce sexually and asexually throughout their life cycle. In most of their life cycles, fungi are haploid, however basidiomycetes can generate simultaneously haploid and dikaryotic mycelia, having the dikaryotic phase ( also known as secondary mycelium) predominating. Since the nuclei are not united until just before spore generation, the dikaryotic phase is therefore not diploid. Explanation for incorrect options: Option a basidiocarp is incorrect because it is the fruiting body of basidiomycetes and in which spore producing hymen is carried. Option b mushroom is incorrect because it is a fruiting body. It is not the life cycle stage in which most of the basidiomycetes spent their life. Option c is incorrect because most of their life is spent in the secondary mycelium not in the mycelium stage which is haploid stage. Option e is incorrect. The sexual spores, also known as basidiospores, develop in the club-shaped basidium. A diploid zygote is created in the basidium by the nuclei of two distinct mating strains fusing together (karyogamy), which is followed by meiosis. After migrating into four distinct chambers attached to the basidium, the haploid nuclei develop into basidiospores.