Sarmistha Saha’s scientific contributions

Phosphorus (P) is crucial for plant growth and development, it is a macroelement that is required for plants to function physiologically. Even though there are a lot of P-containing organic and inorganic molecules in soil, most of them are inert, making them unavailable to plants. Phosphorus (P) deficiency is widely acknowledged as a critical constraining factor in agricultural production, primarily due to its essential role in various biochemical pathways, including ATP synthesis, nucleic acid formation, and energy transfer processes within plant cells. In rhizosphere soil a diverse community of plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), particularly phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) are present, by increasing nutrient bioavailability—especially in the case of phosphate—these bacteria have a beneficial effect on plant growth, increasing total plant productivity and yield. Phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms (PSMs) aid in the hydrolysis of resistant organic and inorganic phosphate (P) forms into soluble forms that are easily absorbed by plants. Despite decades of research on PSMs, the practical implementation of PSM-based strategies to enhance soil phosphorus fixation and improve crop yields at the field scale remains largely undeveloped. This review aims to deepen our comprehension of the pivotal role played by PSMs as biofertilizers in the context of crop production.