Azolla

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An example of co-culture of Azolla and duckweed: "Azolla filiculoides and L.minor" by Mygaia at English Wikipedia (T.M.McKenzie)

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"Red duckweed? (it is Azolla!)" (photo by Flickr user Hans Splinter, taken in the Netherlands.

What is it?

Azolla filiculoides is a small nitrogen-fixing fern that floats on water similar to duckweed. It is native to North, Central and South America. Given appropriate nutrient and other conditions, Azolla can grow rapidly. It is rich in protein and minerals and can be used as animal fodder or for human consumption.

Organizations

• Azolla Foundation - [1]
• Garden Pool groups sells it - [2]
• Azolla Consortium - [3]

Yields

• "200 g per square meter" per day - [4]
• Dry weight percent - 5% - [5]

Duckweed and Azolla Towers

• Minute 14:06 at http://gardenpool.org/online-classes/how-to-grow-duckweed-and-azolla

Uses

• animal fodder: cows, chickens, fish, pigs, goats, etc.
• for human consumption: salad; powder
• source of nitrogen fertilizer
• for biogas and biodiesel
• wastewater treatment
• initial soil biomining for nutrients: phosphorus and potassium from soil, to be used in agriculture

Videos

• "Cultivation of Azolla as a sustainable feed for livestock" (from India and unfortunately in Telugu but good footage anyway): Azolla as feed for cows, chickens, pigs, goats, fish, etc. https://youtu.be/UaiA3BE9mQ4

Links

• http://www.folkecenter.net/gb/rd/biogas/technologies/water-for-life/azolla/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azolla_filiculoides