Promoting the agricultural sector with up-to-date technologies and inputs is convenient to enhance productivity. Production intervention is needed by introducing and adopting proper agronomic practices. Improved agricultural technologies increase production, quality, sustain food security, economic development and natural resource conservation. Koka, Meki and Ziway are known for their vegetable production as well as intensive agrochemicals consumption. Agrochemicals are applied on farm to enhance soil fertility, reduce pathogens, and induce plant growth. Tomato is one of the main commercial cash crops in these areas. Most commercially productive tomato varieties are highly sensitive to disease, vulnerable to nutrient deficiency, and other abiotic stress that requires rigorous agrochemical inputs. Ethiopian tomato production is very low due to various contributing factors including lack of improved varieties, diseases, pests, poor farming system, soil fertility maintenance as well as poor irrigation system. Farmers in the study areas applied inaccurate agrochemicals dose, rate, and application schedule that foster repeated spray. Intense agrochemical application leads to adverse environmental and health impacts due to deposit of toxic chemicals, residue leakage to water bodies and air pollution. It is important to practice proper agricultural inputs, reduce hazardous chemical residues, protect humans, other beneficial organisms and the environment. Moreover, developing IPM technology is recommended for better healthy agricultural production and sustainability.

Phosphorous is an essential macronutrient for plant growth and development. Most of the soil is deficient in plant available phosphorous and due to economic limitations majority of Ethiopian farmers applied inadequate fertilizers. It is essential to stabilize a mechanism to access P for plants with an efficient, cheap, and eco-friendly approach for enhanced crop growth and production. The main objective of this study was to screen efficient phosphate solubilizing bacteria from tomato rhizosphere soil. Using halo zone formation on PVK agar medium, more than 400 PSB isolates were isolated from 13 rhizosphere soil samples. By evaluating SI, texture in the culture-re-culturing process, liquid medium pH change efficiency and growth rate, upmost three promising PSB isolates (K-1-29, K-10-27, and K-10-41) were selected. Incubation of the isolates in PVK broth for five days showed significant pH reduction. For instance, isolate K-10-41 showed significant pH change (4.02) which indicates the organic acid production. Isolation and evaluation of efficient phosphate solubilizing bacteria maintain soil fertility, promote plant growth, induce plant response to pathogens, reduce agrochemical consumption and promote sustainable agriculture. Therefore, these selected PSB isolates need further detailed study for taxonomic identification, plant growth promotion, host range, and phytopathogen response. Local isolation improves environmental adaptation and indigenous competition.

Phosphorous is an essential macronutrient for plant growth and development. Most of the soil is deficient in plant available phosphorous and due to economic limitations majority of Ethiopian farmers applied inadequate fertilizers. It is essential to stabilize a mechanism to access P for plants with an efficient, cheap, and eco-friendly approach for enhanced crop growth and production. The main objective of this study was to screen efficient phosphate solubilizing bacteria from tomato rhizosphere soil. Using halo zone formation on PVK agar medium, more than 400 PSB isolates were isolated from 13 rhizosphere soil samples. By evaluating SI, texture in the culture-re-culturing process, liquid medium pH change efficiency and growth rate, upmost three promising PSB isolates (K-1-29, K-10-27, and K-10-41) were selected. Incubation of the isolates in PVK broth for five days showed significant pH reduction. For instance, isolate K-10-41 showed significant pH change (4.02) which indicates the organic acid production. Isolation and evaluation of efficient phosphate solubilizing bacteria maintain soil fertility, promote plant growth, induce plant response to pathogens, reduce agrochemical consumption and promote sustainable agriculture. Therefore, these selected PSB isolates need further detailed study for taxonomic identification, plant growth promotion, host range, and phytopathogen response. Local isolation improves environmental adaptation and indigenous competition.