Phosphate Solubilizing Microorganisms: Characterization of Phosphate Solubilizing Fungi from Semi-Arid Agricultural Soil for Potential Use as Biofertilizers

Phosphorus (P) is the second major nutrient after nitrogen that limits plant growth. It is one of the least available and the least mobile nutrient for the plants in the soil. Use of chemical fertilizer has led to health and environmental hazard. Many soil microorganisms (viz., bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi) have the ability to solubilize inorganic phosphatic compounds and make them available to growing plants. Phosphate solubilizing fungi (PSF) are superior to their bacterial and actinomycetes counterpart for P solubilzation both on precipitated agar and in liquid. These fungi can be used in replacement of chemical fertilizer. In the presented work 4 fungal strain were isolated from the semi arid region of Rajasthan, India that have the great potential to be used in replacement of chemical fertilizer. Selected strains were immobilized on agar and Ca-alginate and their effect were studied in both fermentation and soil plant conditions.