In N. crassa and N. intermedia, the kalilo plasmid triggers senescence by insertion into mitochondrial DNA. To investigate the cell death pathway induced by this plasmid, juvenile and senescent subcultures of several senescent strains were examined by light and transmission electron microscopy, and at the DNA level. There were no signs of apoptotic events, such as shrinkage of the cytoplasm away from the cell wall, apoptotic bodies, internucleosomal DNA fragmentation or condensation of the cytoplasm while retaining mitochondria and endomembrane structure. Instead, swollen mitochondria lacking cristae and containing amorphous inclusions, and disruption of nuclear and mitochondrial membranes indicated a necrotic mode of cell death.