Duckweed or Azolla is used as a/an

Duckweed or Azolla is used as a/an

pesticide
biofertilizer
arsenic indicator
antiseptic
This question was previously asked in
UPSC Geoscientist – 2023
Azolla is a small aquatic fern that lives in symbiotic association with the nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Anabaena azollae. This symbiosis allows Azolla to fix atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form for plants, making it an excellent natural biofertilizer, particularly for rice paddies. Duckweed (Lemna, etc.) is also an aquatic plant that can be used as green manure, contributing organic matter and nutrients, broadly fitting the category of biofertilizer in this context, though Azolla’s nitrogen-fixing capability is more prominent.
– Azolla is a symbiotic host for nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria (Anabaena azollae).
– Nitrogen fixation makes Azolla a valuable biofertilizer, especially in agriculture.
– Duckweed can also be used as a source of organic matter and nutrients.
Biofertilizers are substances containing living microorganisms which, when applied to seed, plant surfaces, or soil, colonize the rhizosphere or the interior of the plant and promote growth by increasing the supply or availability of primary nutrients to the host plant. Azolla has been used for centuries as a biofertilizer in wetland rice cultivation.
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