Plant oils for improving thermotolerance of Beauveria bassiana

Abstract

Conidia of Beauveria bassiana ARSEF-7060 produced in millet amended with plant oils such as sunflower, corn, or cotton seed oil, were exposed to 45 degrees C of wet heat for 90 min. Conidia from millet+corn oil medium had the highest thermotolerance (LT50 (median survival time): 45.7 min). The mycotized millet grains were coated with each of the same plant oils as a granular formulation and subjected to 50 degrees C of dry heat for 8 h. Corn oil coating (LT50: 8.68 h) was superior to sunflower- and cotton seed oil coatings, suggesting the feasibility of using corn oil to increase conidial thermotolerance.