Azolla cultivation
As described by Cherryl et al. (2014):
1. Making an even floor pit with dimensions of 5 × 4 × 0.3 m with the same level of corners to maintain a uniform water level.
2. Put and uniformly Silpaulin sheets over the pits such are longer and broader than the pit and the outer edges of the sheets were good fixed.
3. Evenly spread 10–15 cm clear soft soil over the sheet.
4. Fill water in the pit to a three-fourth level and regular maintenance the same level of water.
5. Dissolve about 15 kg of fermented buffalo feces in 35 L of water and add the mixture evenly throughout the pit.
6. Dissolve about 30 g of superphosphate in 10 L of water and add it as a zigzag to the previous soil.
7. Five Kg of fresh and pure Azolla incubated in the pit and slowly sprinkled water over it.
8. Every 15 days the application of buffaloes feces, superphosphate and minerals was done to avoid nutrient deficiency and obtain continuous growth of Azolla.
9. If the pit is affected by pests or diseases must be clearing and a fresh inoculation of the pure culture of Azolla will be done.
10. Azolla multiplies rapidly and fills the pit within one week, so every week can harvest fully grown Azolla.
11. Sun dried the yield of Azolla for 2–3 days and packed in air tight bags and stored until use.
|
---|
Sun-drying Azolla
|
Azolla pinnata cultivation factors for better growth (Kumar and Chander 2017)
1. Water is 7–11 cm deep is required and salinity of water adversely affects.
2. The pH of soils is 5.0–7.2.
3. Temperature 20–28 °C.
4. Relative humidity 65—80%.
5. Need long photoperiods for high nitrogen-fixation potential.
6. Need more micro and macro elements.
7. Didn't need nitrogenous fertilizers but a low concentration of nitrate and ammonium promote the growth of Azolla.
Chemical composition of Azolla pinnata
The chemical composition of Azolla was analyzed according to the methods of AOAC (2005) and it differs according to several factors and is almost the same between different authors. Chemical analysis of Azolla as estimated by:
2.1. Samanta and Tamang (1995): 90.1% DM, 79.7% OM, 15.4% CP, 14.1% CF, 2.7% EE, 47.4% NFE, 20.4% Ash, 6.8% cellulose, 15.6% hemicellulose, 15.7% lignin, 16.0% silica, 0.35% phosphorus and 1.54% calcium.
2.2. Ahirwar and Leela (2012), Mathur et al. (2013): 8.7% DM, 16–28% CP, 20–30% CF, 3.1% EE, 35.40% NDF and 23.97% ADF, 8.5–11.7% cellulose and low content of carbohydrates being 34.9%, and considered a rich source of micronutrients, 0.44% phosphorus, 0.58% calcium, 17.15 ppm copper, 77.30 ppm zinc, 207.87 ppm manganese and 710.65 ppm iron.
2.3. Becerra et al. (1995): 4.5% EE and 3.5% by Ghodake et al. (2012).
2.4. Parthasarathy et al. (2001) and Ghodake et al. (2012): 24.91–27.22% CP.
2.5. Parashuramulu et al. (2013) who recorded that Azolla rich in trace minerals and has 21.37% CP, 1759 kcal ME/kg energy and has high metabolozable energy contents, in vitro DM and OM digestibility being 7.36 MJ/kg DM, 79.55% and 63.8%, respectively.
2.6. Cherryl et al. (2014): sundried Azolla 89.73% DM, 75.73% OM, 23.49% CP, 14.7% CF, 3.7% EE, 24.26% ash, 33.84% NFE, 0.26% phosphorus and 2.58% calcium.
2.7 Ahmed et al. (2016): 24.1% CP, 15.1% CF, 3.75% EE, 16.8% ash, 40.25% NFE, 0.47% phosphorus and 2.18% calcium
2.8. Anhita et al. (2016): 4.7% DM, 82.66% OM, 22.48% CP, 14.7% CF, 4.5% EE, 17.34% ash, 40.98% NFE, 54.85 NDF, 36.57 ADF, 24.05 ADL and minerals profile as ppm was 0.34 phosphorus, 1.64 calcium, 2.71 potassium, 9.1 copper, 2418 manganase, 325 zinc, 1569 iron, 8.11 cobalt, 5.06 chromium, 31 boron, 5.33 nickel, 8.1 lead, 1.2 cadmium.
2.9. Sihag et al. (2017): Azolla meal contains 22.93% DM, 11.63% CP, 2.8% EE, 15.59% ash, 47.03% NFE, 40.47% NDF, 32.55% ADF and 7.92% hemicellulose.
2.10. Bhatt et al. (2020): 9.95% DM, 79.70%OM, 26.50% CP, 3.90% EE, 44.28% NDF, 39.4% ADF and minerals profile was 2.41% potassium, 1.51% calcium, 2170 ppm manganese, 4.1 ppm copper, 230 ppm zinc, 1100 ppm iron, 7.1 ppm cobalt, 2.01 ppm chromium and 6.1 ppm nickel.
2.11. El-Fadel et al. (2020): Azolla meal contains 85.08% DM, 72.86% OM, 18.58% CP, 32.17% CF, 3.35% EE, 27.14% ash and 18.76% NFE.