PHOSPHATE SOLUBILIZING ACTIVITY OF SOME FUNGAL STRAINS ISOLATED FROM RHIZOSPHERE OF BT COTTON (GOSSYPIUM SPP.) PLANT.

PARMAR; H. B.; RAOL; B.V.; ACHARYA; P.B.

Volume : VII, Issue : VI, June - 2017

PHOSPHATE SOLUBILIZING ACTIVITY OF SOME FUNGAL STRAINS ISOLATED FROM RHIZOSPHERE OF BT COTTON (GOSSYPIUM SPP.) PLANT.

Parmar, H. B. , Raol, B. V. , Acharya, P. B.

Abstract :

Phosphorus is one of the most vital macronutrients required for the growth and development of plants. The most important function of phosphorus in the plant system is energy storage. Phosphate solubilizing microorganisms solubilize insoluble forms of inorganic phosphorus and improve the availability of phosphorus to the plants. Six (06) rhizospheric sample of BT cotton plant of Mehsana district of North Gujarat region were selected for isolation and screening of phosphate solubilizing fungi. Out of nineteen (19) isolates, nine (09) fungal isolates showed zones of solubilization on pikovskaya’s agar medium. These nine (09) fungal isolates were selected for the further study such as qualitative as well as quantitative screening. Among these nine (09) isolates, PSF–2 (Aspergillus awamori) showed the maximum phosphate solubilization index 1.53 ± 0.026 on PVK agar plates along with phosphate solubilizing activity 561 ± 7.47 µg mL–1 in PVK oth and pH of the medium decreased up to 2.59 ± 0.015 . These strains were used for further study as effect of various culture conditions on efficiency of phosphate solubilization. Aspergillus awamori showed good phosphate solubilizing ability and thus proved to be potential candidate for using as biofertilizers.