Phosphate Solubilizing Yeast Isolated and Characterized from Teff Rhizosphere Soil Collected from Gojam; Ethiopia

Improving soil fertility is one of the most common practices in agricultural productivity for all crops. Teff [Eragrostistef(Zucc.) Trotter] is the major indigenous cereal crop of Ethiopia, where it was originated and diversified. It is a highly demanded and a staple food grain for 60-65% of the Ethiopian people. In a country of over 80 million people, teff accounts for about 15% of all calories consumed in Ethiopia [1]. More than 70-75% of Ethiopian highland soils are characterized by phosphorus deficiency [2]. The deficiency is very severe in the acidic soils of the southern, southwestern and western regions. Areas Al3+ and Fe3+ high are totally incriminated with phosphorus fixation [3]. Around 70% of Ethiopian vertisol have available phosphorus below 5 ppm, which is very low for supporting good teff growth and phosphorus fixation in vertisols is related more to calcium [4].