Significance of root endophytic aquatic hyphomycetes in phosphate solubilisation

Suresh Chandra Sati, Prabha Pant & Nikolay Vassilev

Sydowia 75: 103-109

Published online on November 29th, 2022

Phosphate solubilizing microbes play an important role to increase the availability of soil phosphate for plants. In the present work isolation, screening and evaluation of the phosphate solubilization capacity of root endophytic aquatic hyphomycetes employing Pikovskaya’s (PVK) agar and broth media were carried out. Phosphate solubilizing potential on PVK agar was assessed by determining solubilization index (SI) while PVK broth was used to quantify solubilized phosphate through spectrophotometric analysis. All the used isolates of aquatic hyphomycetes showed a clear halo zone around the growing fungal colony in the PVK agar medium. In PVK broth, a decrease in pH and increased mycelial weight indicate their capability to grow and solubilize the phosphate. Helicomyces torquatus was found more potent (SI-1.60 and 3.57 mg/l) compared to Campylospora parvula (SI-1.40 and 3.36 mg/l), Tetracladium marchalianum (SI-1.25 and 2.91 mg/l) and Lemonniera pseudofloscula (SI- 1.12 and 2.28 mg/l). The present study indicates that the root endophytic aquatic hyphomycetes are very active phosphate solubilizers and can be used as bio-fertilizers in agriculture.

Keywords: microbial phosphate solubilization, halo zone, bio fertilizer.

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