>Sounds strange but throw a peeled banana on the top bars of chalkbrood hives.

Google found this:
http://www.hgsc.bcm.tmc.edu/projects/microbial/documents/review_Chalkb.pdf

1.6.4 Banana fruit
There is some anecdotal evidence in Australia that banana fruit placed in hives is an effective control
for chalkbrood. However, the author was unable to find any data on the effect of exposing
chalkbrood infected hives to banana fruit.
"Any beneficial effect that banana fruit placed within the hive might have in controlling or reducing
the severity of chalkbrood would most probably arise from volatiles evolved by the fruit. It is not
inconceivable that the fruit might evolve one or more volatile compounds that are inhibitory to the
spore germination or mycelial growth of the causal fungus A. apis. Such fungistatic or fungitoxic
volatiles might be the normal products of fruit metabolism or the products of microbial degradation
of the fruit as it senesces. The banana fruit contains at least 200 individual volatile components
(Palmer, 1971). Many more volatile compounds, including fermentation products, could arise from
microbial action (Sureh and Ethiraj, 1991). The fermentation products ethanol and acetaldehyde
inhibited mould growth on oranges (Yuen et al, 1995)" (Wade, personal communication).

Also this:
http://www.culturaapicola.com.ar/.../sanidad_ascoferosis_control_esenciales.pdf
The remaining essential oils, the banana extract and the monolaurin preparation were shown to be ineffectual against Ascosphaera apis in this in vitro
test system. 

I guess I would not rely to heavily on a banana peel to control chalkbrood. 

Karen T-K

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