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 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. While Azolla is not itself a nitrogen-fixing organism, it lives in symbiosis with certain cyanobacteria (Anabaena azollae) that fix nitrogen.

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 (widely used as N-source in rice cultivation in China during last 1000y)
• for biogas and biodiesel
• wastewater treatment
• initial soil biomining for nutrients: phosphorus and potassium from subsoil/mud, for subsequent 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
• "PROJECT AZOLLA : From floating fern to renewable resource" (good overview about a project at the University of Utrecht) https://youtu.be/O34gTsxyDq8

Links

• http://www.folkecenter.net/gb/rd/biogas/technologies/water-for-life/azolla/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azolla_filiculoides
• Dave's Garden - [6]

Sources

• Pond Megastore - $10 - [7]
• Loch Ness Water Gardens - $7 - [8]
• Ponds, Plants, and More - $5 - [9]
• Pond Plants Online - [10]
• Pond Plants R Us - [11]