Phosphorus is not only a key nutrient element for crop growth and feeding the global population but also a significant contributor to water pollution. Phosphate-solubilizing microbes (PSM) can convert insoluble phosphorus into soluble phosphate sources. Therefore, the exploration of microorganisms with phosphate-solubilizing functions in environments such as water and soil ("in situ") holds significant values in research and in industry. However, the majority of environmental microorganisms are difficult to be cultured in the lab, making it challenging to study their in situ metabolic functions using cultivation-based methods. With the strategy of "screening before cultivation", RACS-Seq^® can identify, sort, and cultivate highly efficient organic phosphate-solubilizing bacteria, whose in situ phosphate-solubilizing activities are one to two times higher than those under lab pure culture conditions. Sorted cells maintain viability and can be further expanded and sequenced, enabling accurate correlation between single-cell genotypes and metabolic phenotypes. This creates a new tool for exploring in situ functions of microorganisms.