Effect of incorporation of Azolla on grain yield of rice (Oryza sativa)

Increasing rice production has always been the aim of all the experiments conducted worldwide and mainly in India to satisfy the hunger of continuously increasing population. Fertilizer application has great impact on improving rice production. Chemical N fertilizers which are a major source in supplying N nutrients to rice, but also have an impact on climate change and decrease soil fertility and likewise, have adverse effects on overall soil and environmental health in the long term. The application of free-floating aquatic fern Azolla as a biofertilizer can be an alternative to improve rice yield without degrading the environment. The results show that Azolla provides a natural source of many nutrients, especially N, improves the availability of other nutrients, plays a critical role in weed suppression, enhances soil organic matter, and improves efficiency of the inorganic fertilizers while maintaining the suitable soil pH condition for rice growth, which overall contribute to rice yield increment. Therefore, the present study of incorporation of Azolla has tremendous scope and potential to improve the grain yield along with soil health and sustainability.