P-biofertilizer
Phosphorus (P) is a macronutrient that plays a vital role in plant growth and development. Soil has elemental P but it is unavailable to plants. Chemically produced P-fertilizers are expensive, hence many farmers could not afford to purchase them to manage P deficits in agricultural fields. Phosphate solubilizing microbes (PSMs) are a type of beneficial microorganism that hydrolyzes organic and inorganic insoluble phosphorus compounds into soluble P that plants can easily absorb. Thus, PSM as P-biofertilizer offers a suitable alternative to P-fertilizer which is eco-friendly and cost-effective. Some of the examples of PSM are AM fungi, Trichoderma, Aspergillus, Penicillium, Pseudomonas, Bacillus, etc.
AM fungi, Trichoderma, Aspergillus, Penicillium, Pseudomonas, Bacillus are major P-biofertilizers used in rice in the form of soil, seed, and seedling treatments.