Study on Viability of Fungal Bioagents in Vacuum Packing Compared with Conventional Packing in different Storage Conditions

The shelf life and viability of the bioagents are influenced by several factors, including the type of nutrients in the formulation, moisture content and the ability of propagules to withstand adverse climatic conditions. There are numerous commercial formulations of Trichoderma species primarily used to combat soil-borne diseases. The present study was conducted to understand the optimal storage conditions suitable for these bioagents. By this study, where the viability in vacuum packing and conventional packing were compared, it was observed that the vacuum packing did not offer any advantages over conventional packing methods. Additionally, storing the bioagents in a refrigerator at 4 °C was more effective compared to other storage conditions, such as room temperature (27 ± 2 °C), incubator (24 ± 2 °C) and deep freezer (-20 °C).