Abstract:
Phosphate solubilizing microorganisms (PSMs) offer an ecologically acceptable mean for converting
insoluble phosphate to soluble forms making them available for plants to absorb. Several bacterial
strains (Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Rhizobium and Enterobacter) and fungal strains (Aspergillus and
Penicillium) have so far been recognized as powerful phosphate solubilizers. Insoluble phosphates are
converted into available forms by phosphate solubilizing microorganisms via the process of
acidification, chelation, exchange reactions and production of organic acid. Though phosphorus is
found to be a limiting factor in many soils, application of PSMs as biofertilizers or bioconverters for
solubilizing fixed phosphorus has not yet been successfully practiced. In this context, isolation,
identification and characterization of soil PSMs are considered to be effective in broadening the
spectrum of phosphate solubilizers available for field application
