Carrier-based agricultural
biofertilizer composition comprising an isolated
Trichoderma harzianum CGAJ2T-3 of deposit accession number KY495199 and an agriculturally acceptable formulation comprising a stabilizer (e.g.,
carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)). The strain may be isolated from the vegetable
rhizosphere and rhizoplane from Yola, Nigeria; e.g., by
serial dilution and spread
plate method. The formulation may comprise carriers selected from:
talc,
vermiculite,
peat,
compost. Also disclosed method for preparing carrier-based agricultural
biofertilizer composition, comprising: preparing
nutrient medium comprising carbon and
nitrogen sources (e.g.,
sucrose, glucose, malt extract, peptone); inoculating medium with a
pure culture of
Trichoderma harzianum CGAJ2T-3; performing
fermentation; extracting fungal spores and mycelia from the broth (e.g.,
filtration,
centrifugation); employing a
solid substrate
fermentation technique (e.g., utilising rice
bran and wheat
straw) to attain 3.0×10^9 CFU / g; diluting formulation to 3.0×10^9 CFU / mL within
talc powder-based or liquid formulation; and administering formulation to soil (e.g., spraying onto foliage or root zones).