Sterilization and decontamination through heat is the most effective way to control microbial growth. There are ways to selectively inhibit the growth of only certain microorganisms, like the use of antibiotics. Salt is effective as a preservative because it reduces the water activity of foods. The water activity of a food is the amount of unbound water available for microbial growth and chemical reactions. Streptomycin is used against a variety of bacterial pathogens, tetracycline is able to control the growth of certain mycoplasmas, and cycloheximides offer effective control for certain diseases caused by fungi.

Salt is effective as a preservative because it reduces the water activity of foods. The water activity of a food is the amount of unbound water available for microbial growth and chemical reactions. By reducing water activity, you can rule out the growth of certain classes of microbes. At low water activities you can preclude the growth of anything at all. Water activity is not a kill step. Commonly used chemical preservatives include sorbic acid, benzoic acid, and propionic acid, and their more soluble salts potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, and calcium propionate, all of which are used to control the growth of molds in acidic foods. Sterilization and decontamination through heat is the most effective way to control microbial growth. There are ways to selectively inhibit the growth of only certain microorganisms, like the use of antibiotics. From these types of study, copper compounds and the antibiotic streptomycin proved to be the most efficacious, and have been the most commonly used bactericide spray treatments for bacterial disease management on plants, mainly targeting Pseudomonas spp., Xanthomonas spp. Streptomycin and/or oxytetracycline may also help kill or suppress plant pathogenic bacteria prior to infection and reduce spread of the disease, but they will not cure plants that are already diseased. Antibiotics are also used to treat diseases caused by fastidious vascular bacteria.

You're thinkin of Aw?

You could use some glycols - but at higher %'s.