Utilization of different organic matter on the growth and production of Azolla microphylla

Abstract

The present investigation aimed to assess the effect of varying levels of organic matter on the growth and yield of Azolla microphylla. The experiment was conducted for 60 days in FRP tanks (4 × 2 × 1 ft3) at the Plant Pathology Section, College of Agriculture, Nagpur, following a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 10 treatments and three replications. Treatments consisted of vermicompost cow dung, goat manure, sheep manure, compost farmyard manure (FYM), poultry manure horse manure, soil and an uninoculated control. All the treatments were applied at 2.0 kg/tank. Growth and yield parameters-including fresh weight, dry weight, chlorophyll content, heterocyst percentage, nitrogen and phosphorus content, root length, and frond size-were recorded at 15, 30, 45, and 60 days after inoculation (DAI). Results revealed that compost produced the highest values for fresh weight, dry weight, chlorophyll content, frond size, and root length, heterocyst percentage, and phosphorus content, followed by T2 and T1 (i.e. cow dung and vermicompost) treatments, whereas, statistically these were at par. Conversely, maximum Nitrogen content was observed with cow dung. The uninoculated control (T10) consistently recorded the lowest values across all growth parameters, highlighting the necessity of nutrient supplementation. Overall, compost application proved most effective for achieving maximum growth and yield of Azolla microphylla.