Isolation of efficient phosphate solubilizing bacteria capable of enhancing tomato plant growth

• Published in: Journal of soil science and plant nutrition 2016-06, Vol.16 (ahead), p.525-536
• Main Authors: Sharon, J. A, Hathwaik, L.T, Glenn, G.M, Imam, S. H, Lee, C.C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: SOIL SCIENCE
• ISSN: 0718-9516; 0718-9516
• DOI: 10.4067/S0718-95162016005000043

Phosphorus is one of the three macronutrients that are essential for plant growth and development. Inorganic phosphorus (P), which can make up to 70% of the total P content in soils, can exist in calcium-, aluminum-, or iron-complexed forms that are unavailable for plant use. As a result, mineral phosphorus, P2O5, is often used as a fertilizer to supplement the nutrient for crop growth. To reduce the addition of mineral phosphorus to agricultural soils, research in naturally occurring phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms has been conducted for decades. This study found bacteria that solubilized phosphate at very high rates. The most efficient of the bacteria presented in this paper, Pantoea sp. Pot1, can solubilize tricalcium phosphate (Ca3(PO4)2) at a rate of 956 mgL-1. This bacteria produces a variety of organic acids, including acetic, gluconic, formic, and propionic acids. Greenhouse experiments demonstrated that tomato plants with soil systems inoculated with Pantoea sp. Pot1 incorporated more P and produced much higher biomass weights than those plants without any added bacteria.