Phosphorus is one of the major plant nutrients limiting plant growth. Most of the essential plant nutrients, including phosphorus, remain in insoluble form in soil [1,2]. A large portion of inorganic phos-phates applied to soil as fertilizer is rapidly immobi-lized after application and becomes unavailable toplants [2]. Thus, the release of insoluble and ¢xedforms of phosphorus is an important aspect of in-creasing soil phosphorus availability. Seed or soilinoculation with phosphate-solubilizing bacteria isknown to improve solubilization of ¢xed soil phos-phorus and applied phosphates resulting in highercrop yields [1^3].