Phosphate Solubilizing Microorganisms: A Review

Phosphorus (P) is one of the macro nutrient required for normal growth and development of plants. A deficiency of P depress plant yields and is caused by the insolubility of P resources in the soil. Phosphate solubilizing microorganisms (PSMs) are capable of converting organic P compounds to soluble form that are available to plants. Use of PSMs as biofertilizer is an eco-friendly approach to overcome the P deficiency of soil. Thus, exploration of efficient variety of PSMs as biofertilizer is one of the thrust areas for enhancement of crop production by managing P deficiency. This review meant to understand the ecology and diversity of PSMs, mechanism of P solubilization and its utilization as biofertilizer.