Title:	Encapsulation of Trichoderma harzianum in Carboxymethyl Cellulose Reinforced with Nanocellulose for Delivery as Fertilizer Coatings.
Authors:	FERREIRA, A. M. BRONDI, M. G. FARINAS, C. S.
Affiliation:	FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF SÃO CARLOS CRISTIANE SANCHEZ FARINAS, CNPDIA.
Date Issued:	2026
Citation:	ACS Agricultural Science & Technology, v. 6, 2026.
Pages:	527−538
Description:	The limited stability of microbial inoculants such as Trichoderma harzianum (T. harzianum) poses a major challenge to the development of effective delivery systems. To address this, a nanocomposite matrix of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) was developed to encapsulate T. harzianum and facilitate delivery through fertilizer granules. The encapsulation was highly effective; after three months of storage at room temperature, encapsulated spores maintained high viability (∼6.5 × 10 8 CFUg −1 Downloaded via CO BRASILEIRA PESQUISA AGROPECUARIA on June 10, 2026 at 19:19:39 (UTC). See https://pubs.acs.org/sharingguidelines for options on how to legitimately share published articles. Supporting Information ), whereas nonencapsulated spores exhibited a three-order-of-magnitude reduction. Incorporation of CNC also generated a sustained-release profile for the spores by enhancing the structural integrity of the CMC matrix and creating a more tortuous diffusion path. Moreover, the polymeric coating was essential for preserving fungal viability and promoting growth under the osmotic stress imposed by monoammonium phosphate (MAP) fertilizer even after 30 days of storage at room temperature. These findings highlight the potential of these formulations as protective and efficient delivery systems for microbial inoculants, improving their stability within integrated fertilization strategies.
Keywords:	Biocontrol Microbial viability Controlled release Encapsulated microorganism
DOI:	https://doi.org/10.1021/acsagscitech.5c00992
Type of Material:	Artigo de periódico
Access:	openAccess
Appears in Collections:	Artigo em periódico indexado (CNPDIA)