Ultrastructural changes in the spore and mycelia of Ascosphaera apis after treatment with benomyl (Benlate 50 W)

In Ascosphaera apis, after 8 days growth in darkness at 28° C, numerous sporocysts were observed, within which mature spores were seen aggregated into a spore ball. The mature spore of A. apis had a thick spore wall with an electron-opaque outer layer, a spore membrane with many depressions, and sporoplasm containing numerous ribosomes and mitochondria. In the cytoplasm of the mycelium, mitochondria with well-defined cristae and numerous ribosomes were observed. At a concentration of 1 g/ml of culture medium, benomyl appeared to inhibit colony growth of A. apis, but some sporocysts containing deformed spores were found. Deformed spores possessed a thick spore wall with a grainy matrix, and depressions were no longer detected in the spore membrane. Ribosomes were lacking in the sporoplasm and mitochondria appeared degenerate. The mycelium from the treated culture contained mitochondria with an electron-lucid matrix and no well defined cristae, while ribosomes were completely depleted. The significance of these observations in relation to the use of benomyl to control chalkbrood disease in the honey bee is discussed.