Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. sp2 (2026): Recent Advances in Agriculture

Enhancing the viability of Trichoderma harzianum MF87546.1 through alginate-bentonite clay encapsulation: A physicochemical and biological study

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.12173
Submitted
8 October 2025
Published
04-06-2026

Abstract

The development of eco-friendly biocontrol solutions is critical to reducing reliance on synthetic fungicides, which contribute to environmental pollution, pathogen resistance and health hazards. This study investigates the encapsulation of Trichoderma harzianum, a beneficial fungal biocontrol agent, within alginate-bentonite (BNT) clay composite beads to enhance its stability and efficacy. Sodium alginate served as the primary matrix, while BNT clay was incorporated to improve mechanical strength and thermal resistance. The resulting microbeads exhibited uniform morphology, ensuring effective protection and sustained release of fungal conidia under varying environmental conditions. Structural and thermal properties were analysed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), confirming the composite’s durability and heat tolerance. Encapsulated conidia maintained high viability over six months, demonstrating the formulation’s potential for long-term storage. The findings suggest that alginate-BNT encapsulation significantly improves the shelf life and field performance of microbial pesticides, offering a viable alternative to chemical treatments. By combining biopolymer science with clay-based enhancements, this research contributes to sustainable crop protection strategies. The proposed method aligns with green chemistry principles, providing a scalable solution for agricultural applications while minimising ecological impact.

 

References

  1. 1. Maruyama CR, Bilesky-José N, de Lima R, Fraceto LF. Encapsulation of Trichoderma harzianum preserves enzymatic activity and enhances the potential for biological control. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2020;8:225. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2020.00225
  2. 2. Mahmood I, Imadi SR, Shazadi K, Gul A, Hakeem KR. Effects of pesticides on the environment. In: Hakeem K, Akhtar M, Abdullah S, editors. Plant, soil and microbes. Cham: Springer; 2016. p. 253–69. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27455-3_13
  3. 3. Tariq M, Khan A, Asif M, Khan F, Ansari T, Shariq M, et al. Biological control: a sustainable and practical approach for plant disease management. Acta Agric Scand B Soil Plant Sci. 2020;70(6):507–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/09064710.2020.1784262
  4. 4. Schuster A, Schmoll M. Biology and biotechnology of Trichoderma. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2010;87:787–99. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-010-2632-1
  5. 5. Kaminsky LM, Trexler RV, Malik RJ, Hockett KL, Bell TH. The inherent conflicts in developing soil microbial inoculants. Trends Biotechnol. 2019;37:140–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2018.11.011
  6. 6. Qiu Z, Egidi E, Liu H, Kaur S, Singh BK. New frontiers in agricultural productivity: optimised microbial inoculants and in situ microbiome engineering. Biotechnol Adv. 2019;37(6):107371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2019.03.010
  7. 7. Keswani C, Bisen K, Singh V, Sarma BK, Singh HB. Formulation technology of biocontrol agents: present status and future prospects. In: Arora N, Mehnaz S, Balestrini R, editors. Bioformulations: for sustainable agriculture. New Delhi: Springer; 2016. p. 35–52. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-2779-3_2
  8. 8. Lewis JA, Papavizas GC. Characteristics of alginate pellets formulated with Trichoderma and Gliocladium and their effect on the proliferation of the fungi in soil. Plant Pathol. 1985;34(4):571–77. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3059.1985.tb01409.x
  9. 9. Lotfalinezhad E, Taheri A, Razavi SE, Sanei SJ. Preparation and assessment of alginate-microencapsulated Trichoderma harzianum for controlling Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Rhizoctonia solani on tomato. Int J Biol Macromol. 2024;259 (Pt 2):129278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.129278
  10. 10. Poletto FS, Fiel LA, Donida B, Ré MI, Guterres SS, Pohlmann AR. Controlling the size of poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) nanoparticles prepared by emulsification-diffusion technique using ethanol as surface agent. Colloids Surf A. 2008;324 (1-3):105–112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfa.2008.04.003
  11. 11. Rodrigues S, da Costa AMR, Grenha A. Chitosan/carrageenan nanoparticles: effect of cross-linking with tripolyphosphate and charge ratios. Carbohydr Polym. 2012;89 (1):282–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2012.03.010
  12. 12. Vassilev N, Vassileva M, Martos V, Garcia del Moral LF, Kowalska J, Tylkowski B, et al. Formulation of microbial inoculants by encapsulation in natural polysaccharides: focus on beneficial properties of carrier additives and derivatives. Front Plant Sci. 2020;11:270. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.00270
  13. 13. Locatelli GO, dos Santos GF, Botelho PS, Finkler CLL, Bueno LA. Development of Trichoderma sp. formulations in encapsulated granules (CG) and evaluation of conidia shelf-life. Biol Control. 2018;117:21–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2017.08.020
  14. 14. Szekalska M, Puciłowska A, Szymańska E, Ciosek P, Winnicka K. Alginate: current use and future perspectives in pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. Int J Polym Sci. 2016;2016:7697031. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/7697031
  15. 15. Lee BB, Ravindra P, Chan ES. Size and shape of calcium alginate beads produced by extrusion dripping. Chem Eng Technol. 2013;36(10):1627–42. https://doi.org/10.1002/ceat.201300230
  16. 16. Mancera-López ME, Izquierdo-Estévez WF, Escalante-Sánchez A, Ibarra JE, Barrera-Cortés J. Encapsulation of Trichoderma harzianum conidia as a method of conidia preservation at room temperature and propagation in submerged culture. Biol Control Sci Technol. 2019;29(2):107–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/09583157.2018.1535053
  17. 17. Martinez Y, Ribera J, Schwarze FWMR, De France K. Biotechnological development of Trichoderma-based formulations for biological control. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2023;107:5595–5612. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-023-12687-x
  18. 18. Løvschall KB, Velasquez STR, Kowalska B, Ptaszek M, Jarecka A, Szczech M, et al. Enhancing stability and efficacy of Trichoderma bio-control agents through layer-by-layer encapsulation for sustainable plant protection. Adv Sustain Syst. 2024;8(7):2300409. https://doi.org/10.1002/adsu.202300409
  19. 19. Mulatu A, Alemu T, Megersa N, Vetukuri RR. Optimisation of culture conditions and production of bio-fungicides from Trichoderma species under solid-state fermentation using mathematical modelling. Microorganisms. 2021;9(8):1675. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9081675
  20. 20. Vindas-Reyes E, Chacón-Cerdas R, Rivera-Méndez W. Trichoderma production and encapsulation methods for agricultural applications. AgriEngineering. 2024;6(3):2366–84. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriengineering6030138
  21. 21. Schoebitz M, López MD, Roldán A. Bioencapsulation of microbial inoculants for better soil-plant fertilisation: a review. Agron Sustain Dev. 2013;33:751–65. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-013-0142-0
  22. 22. Fraceto LF, Maruyama CR, Guilger M, Mishra S, Keswani C, Singh HB, et al. Trichoderma harzianum-based novel formulations: potential applications for management of next-gen agricultural challenges. J Chem Technol Biotechnol. 2018;93(8):2056–63. https://doi.org/10.1002/jctb.5613
  23. 23. Adzmi FA, Meon S, Musa MH, Yusuf NA. Preparation, characterisation and viability of encapsulated Trichoderma harzianum UPM40 in alginate-montmorillonite clay. J Microencapsul. 2012;29(3):205–10. https://doi.org/10.3109/02652048.2012.659286
  24. 24. Nandini B, Puttaswamy H, Saini RK, Prakash HS, Geetha N. Trichovariability in rhizosphere soil samples and their biocontrol potential against downy mildew pathogen in pearl millet. Sci Rep. 2021;11:9517. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-89061-2
  25. 25. Brondi M, Florencio C, Mattoso L, Ribeiro C, Farinas C. Encapsulation of Trichoderma harzianum with nanocellulose/carboxymethyl cellulose nanocomposite. Carbohydr Polym. 2022;295:119876. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2022.119876
  26. 26. Chan ES, Wong SL, Lee PP, Lee JS, Ti TB, Zhang Z, et al. Effects of starch filler on the physical properties of lyophilised calcium-alginate beads and the viability of encapsulated cells. Carbohydr Polym. 2011;83(1):225–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2010.07.044
  27. 27. Sowmya R, Karthick Raja, Namasivayam S, Krithika Shree S. A critical review on nano-selenium based materials: synthesis, biomedicine applications and biocompatibility assessment. J Inorg Organomet Polym Mater. 2024;34:3037–55. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10904-023-02959-4
  28. 28. Lopes ARDO, Locatelli GO, Barbosa RDM, Lobo Junior M, Moura Mascarin G, Lamenha G, et al. Preparation, characterisation and cell viability of encapsulated Trichoderma asperellum in alginate beads. J Microencapsul. 2020;37(3):270–82. https://doi.org/10.1080/02652048.2020.1729884
  29. 29. Jurić S, Đermić E, Topolovec-Pintarić S, Bedek M, Vinceković M. Physicochemical properties and release characteristics of calcium alginate microspheres loaded with Trichoderma viride spores. J Integr Agric. 2019;18(11):2534–2548. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-3119(19)62634-1
  30. 30. Vinceković M, Jalsenjak N, Topolovec-Pintarić S, Đermić E, Bujan M, Jurić S. Encapsulation of biological and chemical agents for plant nutrition and protection: chitosan/alginate microcapsules loaded with copper cations and Trichoderma viride. J Agric Food Chem. 2016;64(43):8073–83. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.6b02879
  31. 31. Szczech M, Maciorowski R. Microencapsulation technique with organic additives for biocontrol agents. J Hortic Res. 2016;24(1):111–22. https://doi.org/10.1515/johr-2016-0013
  32. 32. Krell V, Jakobs-Schoenwandt D, Vidal S, Patel AV. Encapsulation of Metarhizium brunneum enhances endophytism in tomato plants. Biol Control. 2018;116:62–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2017.05.004
  33. 33. Sarma BD, Puzari KC, Dutta P, Pandey AK. An alginate-based encapsulation enhances shelf life and bioactivity of the entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae. Egypt J Biol Pest Control. 2023;33:69. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41938-023-00714-y
  34. 34. Undabeytia T, Shuali U, Nir S, Rubin B. Applications of chemically modified clay minerals and clays to water purification and slow-release formulations of herbicides. Minerals. 2020;11(1):9. https://doi.org/10.3390/min11010009
  35. 35. Goss GR, Baldwin HM, Riepl RG. Clays as biological carriers. In: Downer RA, Mueninghoff JC, Volgas GC, editors. Pesticide formulations and delivery systems: meeting the challenges of the current crop protection industry. Dallas (TX): ASTM International; 2003. p. 24–34. https://doi.org/10.1520/STP11110S
  36. 36. Jousset A. Ecological and evolutive implications of bacterial defences against predators. Environ Microbiol. 2012;14(8):1830–43. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1462-2920.2011.02627.x

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.