Effects of Eight Brighteners as Solar Radiation Protectants for Steinernema carpocapsae, All Strain

Seven commercially available Blankophor fluorescent brighteners were compared with the standard Tinopal LPW as solar radiation protectants for Steinernema carpocapsae (All strain). Blankophor BBH and Tinopal LPW were the most successful UV screens, with 95% of the original nematode infectivity to larvae of the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella, retained after 4 hours of exposure to direct sunlight. The Blankophor HRS and DML preserved 80 and 85% infectivity, and the P167 preserved 70% infectivity after the sunlight exposure. The other Blankophors (RKH, LPG, and BSU) were not as effective.