Methods and compositions for increasing the amounts of phosphorus available for plant uptake from soils

1. A method of increasing the availability of phosphorus for plant uptake from soil, said method comprising introducing into the soil at least two different strains of Penicillium fungi in an amount effective to increase the availability of phosphorus for plant uptake from the soil as compared to the availability of phosphorous for plant uptake from soil following introduction of one of the at least two different strains of Penicillium,

wherein the at least two different strains of Penicillium are selected from the group consisting of P. bilaiae, P. albidum, P. aurantiogriseum, P. chrysogenum, P. citreonigrum, P. citrinum, P. digitatum, P. frequentas, P. fuscum, P. gaestrivorus, P. glabrum, P. griseofulvum, P. implicatum, P. janthinellum, P. lilacinum, P. minioluteum, P. montanense, P. nigricans, P. oxalicum, P. pinetorum, P. pinophilum, P. purpurogenum, P. radicans, P. radicum, P. raistrickii, P. rugulosum, P. simplicissimum, P. solitum, P. variabile, P. velutinum, P. viridicatum, P. glaucum, P. fussiporus , and P. expansum.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the selected strains are NRRL 50169 and NRRL 50162.

3. The method according to claim 1 , said method further comprising adding a source of phosphorus to said soil.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein said source is rock phosphate.

5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein said source is a manufactured fertilizer.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein said manufactured fertilizer comprises monoammonium phosphate, triple super phosphate, diammonium phosphate, ordinary superphosphate and/or ammonium polyphosphate.

7. The method according to claim 3 , wherein said phosphorus source is organic.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein said organic source of phosphorus comprises bone meal, meat meal, animal manure, compost, sewage sludge, guano, or mixtures thereof.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said Penicillium fungi are added to the soil in an amount ranging from 1×10 6 to 1×10 11 colony forming units per hectare.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said Penicillium fungi are introduced as a seed coating comprising 1×10 1 to 1×10 8 colony forming units per seed.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plants are selected from the group consisting of cereals, legumes, Brassica spp., fruits, vegetables, nuts, flowers, and turf.

12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein said Penicillium fungi are introduced as a seed coating comprising 1×10 2 to 1×10 6 colony forming units per seed.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least two different strains of Penicillium comprises NRRL 50169, ATCC 20851, ATCC 22348, ATCC 18309, and/or NRRL 50162.

14. A method of enhancing growth conditions of plants, said method comprising growing the plants in soil containing, in proximity to the plants' roots, both a phosphorus source and at least two different strains of Penicillium in an amount effective to increase the availability of phosphorous for plant uptake from the soil as compared to the availability of phosphorous for plant uptake from soil containing the phosphorous source and one of the at least two different strains of Penicillium,

wherein the at least two different strains of Penicillium comprises strains of P. bilaiae identified by the deposit numbers NRRL 50169 and NRRL 50162.

15. A method of enhancing growth conditions of plants, said method comprising growing the plants in soil containing, in proximity to the plants' roots, both a phosphorus source and at least two different strains of Penicillium in an amount effective to increase the availability of phosphorous for plant uptake from the soil as compared to the availability of phosphorous for plant uptake from soil containing the phosphorous source and one of the at least two different strains of Penicillium,

wherein the at least two strains of Penicillium are selected from the group consisting of P. bilaiae, P. albidum, P. aurantiogriseum, P. chrysogenum, P. citreonigrum, P. citrinum, P. digitatum, P. frequentas, P. fuscum, P. gaestrivorus, P. glabrum, P. griseofulvum, P. implicatum, P. janthinellum, P. lilacinum, P. minioluteum, P. montanense, P. nigricans, P. oxalicum, P. pinetorum, P. pinophilum, P. purpurogenum, P. radicans, P. radicum, P. raistrickii, P. rugulosum, P. simplicissimum, P. solitum, P. variabile, P. velutinum, P. viridicatum, P. glaucum, P. fussiporus , and P. expansum.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the at least two different strains of Penicillium comprises NRRL 50169, ATCC 20851, ATCC 22348, ATCC 18309, and/or NRRL 50162.

17. A plant seed having a coating that comprises at least two different strains of Penicillium in an amount effective to increase the availability of phosphorous for plant uptake from the soil as compared to a coating that comprises one of the at least two different strains of Penicillium,

wherein the at least two strains of Penicillium are selected from the group consisting of P. bilaiae, P. albidum, P. aurantiogriseum, P. chrysogenum, P. citreonigrum, P. citrinum, P. digitatum, P. frequentas, P. fuscum, P. gaestrivorus, P. glabrum, P. griseofulvum, P. implicatum, P. janthinellum, P. lilacinum, P. minioluteum, P. montanense, P. nigricans, P. oxalicum, P. pinetorum, P. pinophilum, P. purpurogenum, P. radicans, P. radicum, P. raistrickii, P. rugulosum, P. simplicissimum, P. solitum, P. variabile, P. velutinum, P. viridicatum, P. glaucum, P. fussiporus , and P. expansum.

18. The plant seed of claim 17 , wherein the at least two different strains of Penicillium comprises NRRL 50169, ATCC 20851, ATCC 22348, ATCC 18309, and/or NRRL 50162.

19. The plant seed of claim 17 , wherein the selected strains are NRRL 50169 and NRRL 50162.