Principal mechanism in soil for mineral
phosphate solubilization is lowering of soil pH by microbial production of organic acids and mineralization of organic P by
acid phosphatase. Use of phosphorus solubilizing bacteria as inoculants increases P uptake. These bacteria also increase
prospects of using phosphatic rocks in crop production. Greater efficiency of P solubilizing bacteria has been shown through
co-inoculation with other beneficial bacteria and mycorrhiza. This article incorporates the recent developments on microbial
P solubilization into classical knowledge on the subject.