Azolla pinnata
in Japanese
in Sundanese
in Sumatera
in English
: Akakukikusa, Koakaukikusa
: Kayu apu dadak
: Ganepo
: water velvet (America)
water fern (English)
Ferny Azolla (Australia)
Benefit of Azolla
• Can grow on water deficient nitrogen compound
• Fix Nitrogen 3-5 kg N/ha/day
(in the tropics: 500-1000 kg N/ha/year)
• Biomass doubling time: 2-5 days
• Maximum biomass
: 30-80 ton fresh weight
1.5-4.0 ton dry weight
50-150 kg N/ha
• Contain 22-37 crude protein on a dry weight basis
• Inoculum 100g/m2
(20 days: 15-20 ton fresh weight/ha)
• Continuous cultur
Harvesting: 22 times/year with the interval of 16 days
cumulative: 200-250 ton fresh weight/ha
In other words:
High Nitrogen content  organic fertilizer
High protein content
 feed suplement
Azolla as feed for mule duck
Ex. Small farm in Sawangan;
100 mule duck weight: 1.1 kg (20 days)
Research: day 21-day 60 (40 days)
Control: commercial starter broiler
Azolla: Drained for one night (fresh)
Group
Azolla (%)
Com.S.C.B (%)
Mean Weight
Gainned (kg)
1
2
3
4
0
25
50
75
100
75
50
25
2.1
1.95
1.7
1.0
Table 1. Feed mixture for mule duck
No. 1  control
No.2  fully recommended
No. 3  Still acceptable
No. 4  negative valvue (x not recommended)
Growth requirements
Temperature
: 20-35 oC; Best: 25 oC
pH
: 3,5 -10,0; best range : 4,5-6,5
Relative humidity
: 85-90%; Best : Subtropic, Tropic Dryseason
Water level
Fertilizer
: shallow; Best: 5-10 cm
: N, P, K, Ca, Mg, fe, Co, Mo;
Main: Phosphorus, low Nitrogen
Salinity
: sensitive (max: 0.3 ‰)
Light intensity
: 25-50%
Fixation
: 40-60 kLux
Wind
: avoid with hedges, dikes
• Arthropoda
Pyralidae
Chironomidae
Lepidoptera
Diptera
» Can wreak havoc
» Tropic high temperature
» High humidity
» Limiting factor
• Gastropoda
• Fungi