Azolla :-

Azolla is a floating water plant. It absorbs nitrogen from the air and fixes it firmly within its roots. Because of this propertly, Azolla is widely used in rice (paddy) farming: It has an exceptionally fast growth rate and doubles its biomass with in 72 hous.

Importance of Azolla:-

  • Fast-growing aquatic plant
  • Rich Source of protein (Contains 20% to 30 protein)
  • Acts as an Effective nitrogenous bio-fertilizer.
  • Serves as a nutritious Supplementary feed for livestock.
  • Highly beneficial for organic farming Can be produced at a very low cuit.

Nutrients present in Azolla:-

1. protein

2.Nitrogen

3.phosphous

4.potassium

5.Calcium
6.Iron

7.Magnesium

8.vilamins A, B12, and Bela- carotene

uses of Azolla:-

1).As Animal Feed

It is used as a highly nutritious feed for various livestock and poultry

including :-

1.Cows and buffaloes

2.Goats and sheep

3.chickens and ducks

2) In Agriculture

*used os a natural green manure in rice fields.
*Enhances overall soil Ertility.

*Reduces dependency and expenditune on chemical fertilizess.

How to prepare an Azolla pond:-

1.Select a location:-choose a partially shaded area receiving 3-5 hours of sunlight daily.Intense midday sun can burn the culture, while complete shade slows down reproduction

2 Dig a shallow pit:- Dig a flat pit measuring roughly 6-10 feet long, 4 feet wide, and i foot deep shallow water stabilizes the temperature best.

3.Lay a plastic Liner:- clean the pit of any sharp roots or tocks. cover the bottom with a thick, high-quality plastic Sheet or silpauline sheet to prevent water seepage.

4. Add a layer of fertile soil:-spread roughly 10-15 kg of clean, siered fertile soil uniformly over the plastic liner. Soil supplies necessary micronu trients:

5.prepare the Nutrient slurry:-

Mix 1-2kg of fresh, well- decomposed cow dung with 3o grams of super phosphate or DAP in 10 liters of wate pour this mixture into the pit.

6.Fill with water:-

Add clean, chlorine- free water to maintain a standing water depth of about 4 inches (10cm). Ensure the routs can easily absorb nutrients from the Soil slurry.

7. introduce Azolla seedlings:-

Inoculate the water bed by gently Spreading 1kg of fresh, healthy Azolla starter culture evenly across the Surface.

How to maintain the pondi:-

Proper dialy and weekly maintenance.Keeps the biomass thriving and prevents nutrient depletion.

*Top up water:-

Monitor water levels daily Add fresh water regularly to keep the depth contat at 4 inches.

* Add Bi-weekly Feed:-

Mix 1kg of fresh cow dung slurry and 20 grams of Super phosphate every 15 day to replenish nutrients.

* Control overgrowth:-

Harvest Azola daily once the surface is fully packed. Leaving it overcrowded restricts oxygen and turns the crop brown or rotten.

* Skim Dead Debris:-

Clean the pond Surface reguarly Remove fallen leaves branches, or invasive weed that block sunlight.

*control temperature and PH:-

Protect the bed with a green shade net during extreme sus to keep temperatures under 30•c and maintain water ph between 5.5 and 7. And use a liquid phosphate (po4) and colorimeter.

*Complete reset:-

Empty the pond replace the centire soil manure substrate and start fresh with a clean bed once every six months