Excessive utilization of chemical fertilizers can disrupt soil fertility, with specific concern regarding the contamination of soil by phosphate fertilizers. This contamination poses risks to the environment, affecting soil, air, and water quality. Countries relying heavily on chemical fertilizers in their agricultural practices are particularly susceptible to this escalating environmental issue. However, the introduction of natural products derived from endophytic microbes offers a novel approach to sustainable agricultural applications. These endophytes have demonstrated the ability to enhance crop yield and production, presenting an opportunity to promote sustainable farming practices. Within this research, a total of 23 endophytic bacteria were extracted from Lycopersicon esculentum (cherry tomato) leaves. Evaluating their phosphate solubilization efficiency, it was observed that three bacterial isolates, namely Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus inaquosorum, and Bacillus pumilus, exhibited the capacity to solubilize complex calcium phosphate, forming visible clear zones around their colonies. Furthermore, the phosphorus solubilization index for these three endophytic bacterial isolates ranged from 1.84 to 2.18 over a five-day incubation period. The results revealed that Bacillus licheniformis displayed the highest potential for phosphate solubilization. Consequently, Bacillus licheniformis represents a promising alternative for enhancing phosphorus nutrition in cherry tomato (L. esculentum) cultivation, thus contributing to agricultural sustainability.
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