Phosphorus (P) is an element that is widely distributed in nature and occurs, together with nitrogen (N) andpotassium (K), as a primary constituent of plant and animal life. Phosphorous plays a series of functions in the plant metabolismand is one of the essential nutrients required for plant growth and development. It has key function in structural nature ofmacromolecules such as nucleic acids and energy transfer in metabolic pathways of biosynthesis and degradation. Unlike nitrateand sulphate, phosphate is not reduced in plants but remains in its highest oxidized form. A greater part of soil phosphorus,approximately 95-99% is present in the form of insoluble phosphates and cannot be utilized by the plants. Through variousstudies this has been seen that improvement of soil fertility requires a diligent management of available natural resources formaintaining the productive capacity of life support processes of soil. Therefore a broader study of plant-microbe interactionscan prove to be helpful to achieve higher plant productivity. Many microorganisms isolated from the different ecosystems areable to dissolve insoluble phosphates (phosphate solubilizing microorganisms; PSMs) in liquid cultivation conditions and thusenhances productivity of crop plants.Phosphate solubilizing micro-organisms (PSMs) are a very important category of plantgrowth promoting micro-organisms (PGPMs). PGPMs are a group of micro-organisms exhibiting direct or indirect beneficialeffect on plant development by inhabiting its rhizosphere. The present work discusses the effectiveness of some of the phosphatesolubilizing bacteria isolated from sandy soil of Jharkhand towards solubilization of fixed phosphates.
展开▼
