Long-term storage of Ascosphaera aggregata and Ascosphaera apis, pathogens of the leafcutting bee (Megachile rotundata) and the honey bee (Apis mellifera)

J Invertebr Pathol. 2009 Jun;101(2):157-60. doi: 10.1016/j.jip.2009.03.004. Epub 2009 Mar 28.

Abstract

Survival rates of Ascosphaera aggregata and Ascosphaera apis over the course of a year were tested using different storage treatments. For spores, the storage methods tested were freeze-drying and ultra-low temperatures, and for hyphae, freeze-drying, agar slants, and two methods of ultra-low temperatures. Spores of A. aggregata and A. apis stored well at -80 degrees C and after freeze-drying. A. aggregata hyphae did not store well under any of the methods tested while A. apis hyphae survived well using cryopreservation. Spores produced from cryopreserved A. apis hyphae were infective. Long-term storage of these two important fungal bee diseases is thus possible.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bees / microbiology*
  • Cryopreservation
  • Hyphae
  • Onygenales / growth & development
  • Onygenales / physiology*
  • Preservation, Biological / methods*
  • Spores, Fungal