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 Group 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

Azolla as the much better microalgae farming

There is a lot of hype about algae farming, the next thing! This has been going on for a very long time. In the 1950s, Chlorella was supposed to be the next thing that would solve all food and health problems. We have talked quite a bit here at OSE about Spirulina. Other organisms being discussed are mostly Spirulina (most widely cultivated, an established product), Chlorella (popular in Asia), Dunaliella (thrives in salty water), Haematococcus (for astaxanthin pigment), Schizochytrium (for DHA), Aphanizomenon , Botryococcus braunii (biofuel), Nannochloropsis (biofuel and omega-3). Being microalgae, these are all more difficult to harvest than larger organisms. Azolla is very easy to harvest. Azolla exists in symbiosis with Anabaena. So there we have it, our microalgae, just better. Spirulina thrives in highly alkaline water and needs specific chemical inputs ($) while Azolla grows on fish pond wastewater, compost leachate, silage leachate, etc.

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 (see below)
• wastewater treatment
• initial soil biomining for nutrients: phosphorus and potassium from subsoil/mud, for subsequent use in agriculture

Azolla Biodiesel

Because of its high oil content, Azolla may be a potential feedstock for biodiesel production. A recent open access paper analyzed the: "Lipid Yield and Composition of Azolla filiculoides and the Implications for Biodiesel Production". Another publication: "Biodiesel Production from Azolla filiculoides".

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
• "Azolla cultivation for cattle feed" also from India: https://youtu.be/m6Gh8ySjZag
• "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]