Final answer:
Sexual reproduction in ascomycetes involves the production of spores through the development of special hyphae and the formation of asci, which undergo karyogamy and meiosis (option 1).
Step-by-step explanation:
In ascomycetes, sexual reproduction involves the development of special hyphae from one of two mating strains, leading to the production of ascospores. The process starts with the mating strains producing male and female structures respectively, followed by plasmogamy, where these structures combine without nuclear fusion. The resulting special hyphae give rise to asci, inside which karyogamy and meiosis occur, subsequently producing haploid ascospores by mitosis.
When conditions are favorable, these ascospores can germinate into new haploid hyphae, thus continuing the life cycle of the fungus. Therefore, sexual reproduction in ascomycetes involves the production of spores.
Hence, the answer is option 1.