Shelf Life of Cellulolytic Fungi and Bacteria in Different Carrier Materials

Shelf life of cellulolytic fungi and bacteria (Trichurus spiralis, Chaetomium globosum, Trichoderma viride, Humicole grisea, Aspergillus niger and Cellulomonas bibula) in four different carrier materials viz., talc, lignite, charcoal and fly ash was determined. The observations on propagules count (cfu/g) were recorded initially and thereafter at monthly interval for six months. A decline in the number of propagules was observed from 30 days onward. After 180 days of storage talc was found as the best to retain maximum number of viable propagules (T. spiralis 4.66X10⁶cfu/g, C. globosum 5.0X10⁶cfu/g, T. viride 7.33X10⁶cfu/g , H. grisea 2.33X10⁶cfu/g, A. niger 3.0X10⁶cfu/g and C. bibula 3.33X10⁷cfu/g). The minimum number of propagules were recorded in fly ash at 180 days after storage.