Viability of microencapsulated species of Trichoderma as a strategy to optimize use in biological control

The increasing use of chemical fungicides without effective control of phytopathogens has led to the development of resistance in microorganisms. As a promising alternative, products formulated with Trichoderma have emerged for their sustainable and effective potential in integrated disease management. However, the predominant formulations do not offer the necessary protection against abiotic factors. In this study, we investigated Trichoderma species encapsulated in sodium alginate through storage viability experiments and their antagonistic potential. The viability and storage conditions of the capsules were evaluated by plating at 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, and 150 days after production, kept in dry or refrigerated environments. The antagonistic potential was determined by the culture pairing method using the phytopathogen Fusarium sp. The results demonstrated that it was possible to maintain the viability of the conidia, with no differences between storage environments. Additionally, the capsule provided UV protection to the conidia encapsulated species possess antagonistic potential, inhibiting 52.54% of Fusarium sp. growth. Consequently, encapsulation is an alternative formulation method that ensures the viability of Trichoderma conidia and optimizes its use in biological control.