title: Saturated salt solutions for humidity control and the survival of dry powder and oil formulations of Beauveria bassiana conidia.
abstract: Oil-based formulated conidia sprayed on steel plates and conidia powder (control) of Beauveria bassiana isolate IMI 386243 were stored at temperatures from 10 to 40 degrees C in desiccators over saturated salt solutions providing relative humidities from 32 to 88%, or in hermetic storage at 40 degrees C, and moisture contents in equilibrium with 33 or 77% relative humidity. The negative semi-logarithmic relation (P<0.005) between conidia longevity (at 40 degrees C) and equilibrium relative humidity did not differ (P>0.25) between formulated conidia and conidia powder. Despite this, certain saturated salts provided consistently greater longevity (NaCl) and others consistently shorter longevity (KCl) for formulated conidia compared to conidia powder. These results, analysis of previous data, and comparison with hermetic storage, indicate that storage of conidia over saturated salt solutions provides inconsistent responses to environment and so may be problematic for bio-pesticide research. In hermetic storage, oil formulation was not deleterious to longevity and in the more moist environment enhanced survival periods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agriculture, The University of Reading, Earley Gate, P.O. Box 237, Reading RG6 6AR, UK.
authors.forename: Tran D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Edgington
authors.forename: Richard H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: Marilena Aquino
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de Muro
authors.forename: Dave
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003890:Desiccation; D006813:Humidity; D006999:Hypocreales / Q000502:physiology*; D009821:Oils; D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions; D010572:Pest Control, Biological / Q000379:methods*; D012492:Salts; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000502:physiology; D014021:Tissue Preservation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D009821:Oils; D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions; D012492:Salts