Aloo, Becky NancyMbega, Ernest RashidMakumba, Billy AmendiTumuhairwe, John Baptist2024-06-202022-01-20Aloo, B.N.; Mbega, E.R.; Makumba, B.A.; Tumuhairwe, J.B. Effects of Carrier Materials and Storage Temperatures on the Viability and Stability of Three Biofertilizer Inoculants Obtained from Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Rhizosphere. Agriculture 2022, 12, 140. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12020140https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12020140https://repository.nrf.go.ke/handle/123456789/861Biofertilizer technology continues to be derailed by the short shelf life of inoculants. The present study investigated the suitability of wheat-bran (WB), rice-husks (RH), farmyard-manure (FYM), bagasse (BG), and sawdust (SD) in the formulation of potato-derived Klebsiella grimontii (MPUS7), Serratia marcescens (NGAS9), and Citrobacter freundii (LUTT5) under refrigerated (8 °C) and room (25 ± 2 °C) storage. The physicochemical properties of the materials were assessed before sterilization and introduction of the inoculants and assessment of their viability for 8 months. Most of the physicochemical properties of the materials varied significantly (p < 0.05). Bagasse supported the maximum growth of MPUS7 (5.331 log CFU g−1) under refrigeration and LUTT5 (4.094 log CFU g−1) under both conditions. Under room storage, the maximum growth of MPUS7 (3.721 log CFU g−1) occurred in WB. Formulations that remained viable under room storage can easily be integrated into existing agricultural distribution systems that lack refrigeration.enRhizobacteriaCarrier materialsBiofertilizerBioformulationsShelf-lifeArticle