Azolla

• Azolla  is a Miraculous fern for nitrogen fixation & sustainable cattle feed
• Azolla is a free floating fern and can be grown in ponds, pits, tanks, etc.
• Azolla can be very easily cultivated in a pit with depth of 20 centimetres.

Materials required:

• Azolla mother culture 250 g per sq mt.
• Labour for making trenches
• 5 kgs sieved soil per sq meter
• Poly sheet
• Poly net
• Few gunny bags
• Cow dung (4-5 days old) 1.5 kg per sq m
• Neem cake 125gm per sq meter
• Water

Procedure:

Step 1:

Azolla cultivation pit can be prepared using the following options

• Dig a trench and Arrange bricks in a rectangle or square so that a pit is formed between the four sides.
• Construct a concrete pit, in this case directly go to step 5
• The pit should be 20 cms deep.
• Typically you can go for a pit with 2.5 x 1.5 x 0.2 m dimension.
• This will help in harvest and maintenance.
• Have round edges avoid any sharp edge in the corners.

Step 2:

• Level the floor and remove any stones.
• There should be no slope inside the pit.

Step 3:

• Place some gunny bags on the floor

Step 4:

• Cover the pit with UV stabilized poly sheet or tarpaulin sheet.
• Ensure that there is no wrinkle left.
• Also, the edges of the sheet should be well covered with soil so that the sheet remains tight and is not loosened when water is poured into the pit.

Step 5:

• Spread sieved soil on the floor evenly

Step 6:

• Make a slurry by mixing cow dung, neem cake & some water and sprinkle it evenly on the soil in the pit.

Step 7:

• Now fill the pit with water such that water depth of minimum 10 cm is achieved.
• Fill the water cautiously and ensure that the soil does not get concentrated in one corner or area.

Step 8:

• After the water is settled remove the layer of foam and scum that are formed.
• Now add the Azolla mother culture to the pond.
• The Azolla mother culture is nothing but Azolla fern from some existing pit.
• This can be purchased from any existing Azolla cultivator or from agriculture university.

Step 9:

• Place poly net on the pit.

HARVESTING:

• Azolla will spread @ 400 g per sq m.
• Azolla will cover the entire bed and form a mat within 1 week.
• After 1 week the harvesting of Azolla fern can begin.
• Daily 400 g per sq m should be harvested this will avoid over-crowding of the fern.
• Azolla should be harvested using sieved plastic trays.
• The fern should be washed properly in clean water two to three times to remove the cow dung smell.
• The left over water after washing (Azolla Wash) can be used as bio-manure for plants.

USAGE:

• Azolla can be used as cattle feed.
• The washed Azolla should be mixed with feed concentrates in 1:1 ratio.
• 1 – 1.5 kg of Azolla can be fed to the cattle every day.
• In case of excess, Azolla can be dried and stored.
• This dried azolla can also be fed to cattle.

BIO-MANURE

Dried Azolla can be used as bio-manure in the farm. Azolla is a very good source of nitrogen.

• It is important to keep Azolla at the rapid multiplication growth phase with the minimum doubling time.
• Therefore biomass (around 200 g per square meter) should be removed every day or on alternate days to avoid overcrowding
• About 1 kg of cow dung should be added once every 5 days in order to maintain rapid multiplication of the Azolla and to maintain the daily yield.
• The temperature should be kept below 25 °C.
• If the temperature goes up the light intensity should be reduced by providing shade.
• If possible, it is best to place the production unit where it is shady.
• The pH should be tested periodically and should be maintained between 5.5 and 7.
• About 5 kg of bed soil should be replaced with fresh soil once in 30 days. To avoid nitrogen build up and prevent micro-nutrient deficiency.
• 25 to 30 percent of the water also needs to be replaced with fresh water once every 10 days. To prevent nitrogen build up in the bed.
• The bed should be cleaned the water and soil replaced.
• New Azolla inoculated once every six months.
• A fresh bed has to be prepared and inoculated with pure culture of Azolla, when contaminated by pest and diseases.
• The Azolla should be washed in fresh water before use to remove the smell of cow dung.

FINANCIAL COST:

• The cost preparing 1 pit of Azolla of size 2.5 x 1.5 x 0.2 m is about Rs.1800/-.
• Overall cost of Azolla harvest is Rs.0.65 per kg.