• Wilson, G.G.
  Forest Pest Management Institute
  
• Sohi, S.S.
  Forest Pest Management Institute
  

Spores of the microsporidium Nosema whitei were successfully primed to germinate in vitro in tissue culture medium, and inoculated into the spruce budworm cell line IPRI-CF-I24. The spores could be treated wiÈh the disinfectant Zephiran and still germinate, however to prevent premature germination spores had to be taken from living infected larvae. Many of the spores germinated within 5-10 min after they were introduced into the cell cultures. The sporoplasms here present in the medium for up to 8 days, and in a few cases some of the germinated spores appeared to be phagocytosed by the cells. However, multiplication of the microsporidiurn in the cells was not observed. Although this cell line did not get infected with N. whitei it is possible others night.