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AZOLLA: THE WONDER FERN

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Popular article
AZOLLA: THE WONDER FERN
Mohan Kumar R*, Basavaraj Patil and Yamanura
University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore-560065, Karnataka, India
*
Corresponding author: mohankumarr@[Link]
Received: July 6, 2020; Accepted: July 19, 2020

Introduction
Azolla is a fast-growing plant that floats on the water. It is grown in the paddy
farming like a green manure crop same way the blue green algae is grown in it. This green
input improves crop yield by improving the soil carbon and nitrogen content and its fertility.
Blue green algae grow symbiotically on the Azolla surface. Azolla provides the carbon
source and atmpsphere for the algal growth and this symbiosis makes Azolla a high protein
plant. It is grown in the tropical and subtropical climates and is often grown in shallow waters
or paddy fields.
Azolla sp. is heterosporous free-floating freshwater ferns that live symbiotically with
Anabaena azollae, nitrogen-fixing blue - green algae. Azolla is considered to be a potential
biofertilizer in terms of nitrogen contribution to rice crop. Long before its cultivation as a
green manure, the genus Azolla includes six species distributed widely throughout temperate,
sub-tropical and tropical regions of the world. It is not clear whether the symbiont is the same
in the various Azolla species.
Characteristics
Azolla develops a symbiotic relationship with blue green algae, Anabaena azollae.
Azolla sp. consists of a main stem growing at the surface of the water, with alternate leaves
and adventitious roots at regular intervals along the stem. Secondary stems develop at the axil
of certain leaves. Azolla fronds are triangular or polygonal and float on the water surface
individually or in mats. Azolla is low cost, easy to digest and nutritious supplementary food
for the cattle. It improves the milk yield notably and may improve cattle fertility. It relieves
the blood in cattle urine, caused by phosphorus deficiency. Azolla also provides iron &
calcium to the cattle. Azolla has many amino acids, proteins, vitamins (A, B-12, beta
carotene) and mineral salts such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, copper, magnesium
etc. It has 40-60 per cent protein by dry weight, 10-15 per cent minerals and 7-10 per cent
amino acids etc. It has no fat so its very good feed for the cow, buffalo, goats, sheep, poultry,
etc. Daily 1.5-2 kg of Azolla feed causes milk yield rise by 15-20 per cent and also of better
quality.
Environmental requirements
a. Azolla is found in ponds, ditches, and wetlands of warm temperate and tropical regions
throughout the world.

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b. It must grow in water or wet mud, and it dies within a few hours under dry conditions.
Azolla can survive a water pH range of 3.5-10, but optimum growth occurs when the
water is between pH 4.5 and 7.
c. The optimum temperature for azolla is between 64 and 82°F (18-28° C).
d. The growth rate gradually declines as salinity increases.
e. Azolla grows in full to partial shade (100-50% sunlight), with growth decreasing quickly
under heavy shade.
Establishment
Azolla is established by vegetative propagation. Nursery ponds are generally used to
supply a large volume to a wetland field to ensure quick coverage. Azolla requires abundant
phosphorus (P) to grow rapidly. Add P fertilizer every 8-10 days to maximize growth.
Operations
Azolla production is very easy. Dig a pit 2
m long, 2 m wide and 30 cm deep, under shed,
and covered below with plastic sheet to avoid
water seepage, if possible use ultraviolet reflecting
sheet. Azolla is also grown in cement tank of same
size but no plastic flooring needed then. Spread
10-15 kg soil in the pit. Add 2 kg cow-dung, 30
gram single super phosphate (SSP), 10 litre water
with 10-12 cm deep. Add 500-1,000 gram Azolla
culture. It is available for sales/ to grow at
Agriculture university- microbiology department/ agree science centre (KVK). It grows very
fast and covers the pit in 15 days. Now you can remove 1 to 1.5 kg Azolla daily with bamboo
stick/sieve. Add each week 20 gram SSP and 1 kg cow dung to the pit for fast growth. Wash
with clean water and feed the cattle with 1.5-2 kg Azolla daily. One pit per cattle is required.
Protocols
1) Harvest 200 gm Azolla minimum daily for fast growth.
2) Azolla can stand maximum temperature of 30 degree Centigrade so shade is needed over
the tank where it grows.
3) Add SSP & cow-dung as above weekly.
4) Every month add 5 kg fresh soil in the azolla tank to ensure adequate nutrition.
5) Check pH value of the tank water of Azolla and keep it in the range of 5.5 to 7.
6) Change 25 per cent of the water with fresh one every 10 days in the Azolla tank.
7) Every 6 months, empty, wash, dry & freshly prepare Azolla tank with soil, cow dung,
Azolla culture and water.
8) Azolla cost is very less- below Rs. 1 per kg but the price of fresh Azolla leaves is about
Rs. 10 to 15/- kg from local to urban (branded) markets. So, its very profitable.
Uses of Azolla
a) As larvicide: As an additional benefit to its role as a paddy biofertilizer, azolla spp.
has been used to control mosquito larvae in rice fields. The plant grows in a thick mat

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 on the surface of the water, making it more difficult for the larvae to reach the surface
to breathe, effectively choking the larvae, hence it is also known as "mosquito fern".
b) As bio-fertilizer: The fern is capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen in the soil in the
form of NH4+ and becomes available as soluble nitrogen for the wet land rice crop,
which is the major cereal for the people of the India. Under flooded conditions 40–
60% of the available N is released after 20 days and 55–90% is released by 40 days
after application. Basal application on green Azolla manure @ 10-12 t/ha increases
soil nitrogen by 50-60 kg/ha and reduces 30-35 kg of nitrogenous fertilizer
requirement of rice crop. Release of green Azolla twice as dual cropping in rice crop
@ 500 kg/ha enriches soil nitrogen by 50 kg/ha and reduces N requirement by 20-30
kg/ha.
c) As feed to livestock: Feeding of azolla to dairy cattle, pigs, ducks and chickens with
reported increases in milk production, weight of broiler chickens and egg production
of layers, as compared to conventional feed. Rich in proteins, essential amino acids,
vitamins (vitamin A, vitamin B12 and Beta- Carotene), growth promoter
intermediaries and minerals like calcium, phosphorous, potassium, ferrous, copper,
magnesium. Dry weight basis, it contains 25 - 35 per cent protein, 10 - 15 percent
minerals and 7 - 10 per cent of amino acids, bio-active substances and bio-polymers.
Dry Azolla flakes can be used as poultry feed and green Azolla is also a good feed for
fishes.
d) Weed suppression: Azolla’s ability to create a light-proof mat that suppresses other
weeds has been used for centuries in rice production to save the expensive labor costs
of weeding.
Table 1: Azolla comparison with other fodder crops
Crop Yield (t/ha) Solid Part (%) Protein (%)
Azolla 730 56 20
Napier Hybrid 250 50 4
Lucerne 80 16 3
Lobia 35 7 1.4
Sorghum 40 32 0.6

References
Azolla: IRRI Rice Knowledge Bank. [Link]
sheets/nutrient-management/item/azolla
Chatterjee A, Sharma P, Ghosh MK, Mandal M, Roy PK. (2013). Utilization of Azolla
Microphylla as Feed Supplement for Crossbred Cattle. International Journal of
Agricultural Science and Technology, 4:207-214.
Renu Kumari, Dhuria RK, Patil NV, Sawal RK and Sanjay Singh. (2018). Chemical
composition and pellet quality of Azolla pinnata grown in semi-arid zone of India.
International Journal of Chemical Studies. 6: 2031-2033.
Wagner GM. (1997). Azolla: a review of its biology and utilization. The Botanical Review,
63:1-26.

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