Phosphate Solubilization in Vitro By Some Soil Yeasts

Abstract

Soil yeasts including, Candida tropicalis, Geotrichum capitatum, Geotrichum candidum, Rhodotorula minuta and Rhodotorula rubra were isolated from soils of Saudi Arabia. The ability of these soil yeasts to solubilize insoluble calcium phosphate Ca3(POfi2 in vitro was investigated. An incubation study was conducted to determine the role of selected soil yeasts on the solubilization of insoluble calcium phosphate. The largest amount of phosphate @5 Stglml) was formed by the yeast of G. capitatum. But the soil yeasts G. candidum and R. minuta produced the lowest amount of phosphate with 2 Stglml and 4 pglml respectively at the end of the incubation period. Solubilization of calcium phosphate led to a marked reduction in the pH of the medium.