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A pot experiment was conducted to assess the effect of phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) on the availability of applied P in acid soil using tea (Camellia sinensisL. var. CP-1) as test crop. Six strains of PSB (Bacillus firmusstrain TPB-1, Burkholderia sp.strain TPB-33, Bacillus firmusstrain TPB-38, Burkholderia sp.strain TPB-40, Burkholderia cepaciastrain TPB-52 and Burkholderia sp.strain TPB-57) were used for inoculation using liquid and charcoal-based delivery system. To assess the effect of PSBs on P solubilization, bacterial inocula were used with and without rock phosphate (RP) application. Results indicated that maximum P-uptake (15.6 mg/pot) in tea shoot was recorded in case of inoculation with Burkholderia sp.strain TPB-57 using charcoal-based delivery system (T12-TPB 57C). As far as the crop response is concerned, the highest biomass yield of test crop (10.5 g/pot) was also recorded with T12-TPB 57C in the presence of RP. The study indicates that as far as P solubilization by PSB in tea rhizosphere is concerned, Burkholderia sp.strain TPB-57 is an efficient microbial genus.