AZOLLA AND ITS RELEVANCE IN FARMING

What is Azolla? and what could be it’s relevance in farming?

Azolla is an aquatic plant in the same family as fern, duckweed, moss, etc. It is characterized by its small branches, floating stems, and roots, which hang down into the water. Its leaves, although very small, are green and contain chlorophyll. Azolla plants have a triangular or polygonal shape and float on the surface of water independently or in clusters (like a mat).
Way back in history, the Azolla plant has proven to be relevant in agriculture and has been commonly used in some parts of Asia as a bio-fertilizer and green manure for rice cultivation due to its nitrogen-fixing abilities. Apart from being useful to crops, the Azolla plant contains high protein constituents, which makes it useful as an alternative feed ingredient in livestock feed, especially for poultry, pigs, fish, and ruminants.
The Azolla plant has many species and thrives in ponds and ditches spread across warm-temperate and tropical regions all over the world. Growing an Azolla plant requires available water, as that’s the medium in which it can grow well due to its floating nature. It can survive in a pH range of 3.5–10, but optimally within a pH range of 4.5-7.
The Azolla plant is very productive and can double its size within 3–10 days, depending on the conditions under which it’s been grown. Azolla cultivation is inexpensive but labor-intensive. The fact that factors such as limited water availability, low humidity, very high temperatures, and poor water quality hamper the success of Azolla cultivation may discourage many farmers from venturing into it. However, with proper management and training, it can be grown successfully.
The benefits of the Azolla plant cut across both livestock farming and crop production. The following are proven of Azolla and it’s relevance in farming:

• Azolla is useful as a green manure or bio-fertilizer because it is high in nitrogen, which is needed by plants. It can be grown as a single crop on a field and ploughed into the soil before planting, for rice cultivation, or harvested and used as top dressing in upland crops. It can also be intercropped on rice farms.
• It’s very rich in protein and can be supplemented with livestock feed.
• Known as a nitrogen-fixing plant and contributes to soil fertility maintenance in that it forms a nutrient-rich humus when it decomposes on the soil.
• Very useful for bioremediation of waste water and effluent because of its ability to accumulate excessive amounts of pollutants like heavy metals, pesticides, dyes, etc.
• Decomposes fast; hence, it can be a very good component when composting potting soil.
• The plant can be dried under shade and stored for later use in cases where it was produced in excess.
• When planted in large quantity, it can become a source of income for a farmer who ventures into Azolla production in large quantities to sell to other farmers.
  The benefits of Azolla are inexhaustible. The fact that it is rich in Nitrogen (for plant use) and protein (for livestock use) makes it an important plant to grow on the farm.
  What other knowledge do you have about Azolla and it’s relevance too?
  Would you like to grow Azolla on your farm? Or have you grown Azolla before?
  Kindly share with us in the comment section below.