Abstract
High phosphate solubility is one of the most important factors for increasing plant growth. This study focused on the zinc phosphate (ZP) solubilizing capacity of thermo-halotolerant Aspergillus terreus, where the growth showed halo zones on Pikovskaya agar medium that appeared at high NaCl concentrations (up to 10%) and a wide range of temperatures (up to 45 degrees C). Acidification of the broth was assumed to be the major mechanism for ZP solubilization by A. terreus, where the growth was related to the pH decrease in the medium containing ZP. Under pot conditions, A. terreus increased the biomass and phosphorus content of Hordeum vulgare plants. A. terreus showed a phosphorus solubilization ability with a NaCl concentration of up to 10%; therefore, A. terreus can be of great benefit in maintaining the available phosphate levels for crops in saline soils. Finally, it was found that A. terreus with ZP can substitute chemical fertilizer and help improve crop production.