Freeze-drying of Beauveria bassiana suspended in Hydroxyethyl cellulose based hydrogel as possible method for storage: Evaluation of survival, growth and stability of conidial concentration before and after processing

Beauveria bassiana (Bb) is an entomopathogenic fungus considered as a valid alternative to chemical pesticides. However, Bb use is still limited due to short storage period and persistence in field conditions. Storage can be extended by reducing water content in products but an excessive drying can cause damage during rehydration. Persistence is promoted by using conidia into pellets or granules formulation. Integration of these two aspects can be challenging and costly. In this work, we present how utilizing a hydrogel containing Bb as growth substrate could potentially overcome both issues.