Mineral phosphate solubilization: Concepts and prospects in sustainable agriculture

Abstract

Microorganisms play very important role in biogeochemical cycle in soil, which reflects the plant growth and influence the agricultural production. Phosphate solubilizing microorganisms (PSM) are very important to the plants under phosphorus stress. As we know, Phosphorus is one of the essential macronutrients, along with nitrogen, required by the plants for their vital functions and survival. But, the efficiency of phosphatic fertilizers is very low due to their fixation in both acidic and alkaline soils which are predominant in India. Therefore, the inoculation of mineral phosphate solubilizers and other useful microbial inoculants in these soils would play an important role to restore the overall balance of nutrients and health of the soil to sustain it for posterity. The molecular genetics and mechanism of mineral phosphate solubilization and their efficiency in releasing phosphates for plant uptake is seemingly different and varies with microorganisms. Hence, the isolation and characterization of superior strains of mineral phosphate solubilizers to suit different soil types is imperative. These phosphate-solubilizing bacteria have the capacity to convert the insoluble forms of phosphorus into its soluble form, which ultimately gets available to plants, a phenomenon often referred to as mineral phosphate solubilisation. The combination of chemical fertilizers with this beneficial microorganism is also one of the ways to increase the agricultural yield without loss of nutrients. Moreover, the developments of commercial bioinoculants will be greatly accepted by farmers and will help to maintain agriculture sustainability. The present article describes the progress of research in this area and future insights about use of such biophores in agriculture. © Printed in India.