Solubilization of insoluble inorganic phosphate by soil inhabiting fungus Penicillium citrinum Thom

Satyendra Kumar Yadav¹, Rajesh Singh², Janardan Yadav¹, Jyotima Singh¹

¹Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, BHU, Varanasi-221005

²Genetics and Plant Breeding, IAS, BHU, Varanasi-221005

Received: 16 October 2015                                               Revised Accepted: 26 November 2015

ABSTRACT

Plant growth promoting fungus (PGPF) isolated from rhizosphere of sugarcane and identified as Penicillium citrinum Thom was tested for its phosphate solubilizing ability on four carbon sources viz. Glucose, Sucrose, Fructose and Mannitol, at varying range of pH in vitro condition. Among the carbon sources, in Glucose carbon source fungi was found to be solubilized maximum tricalcium phosphate (461µg/ml) at pH-8 while, minimum activity (421 µg/ml) as phosphate solubilization by the isolated fungal strain of P. citrinum Thom was found in Sucrose at pH-6.

Key Words: Plant growth promoting fungus, Penicillium citrinum, Rhizosphere, Tricalcium phosphate