Tips on improving soil fertilty - Throug application of Blue Green Algae

What is Blue Green Algae? How does it help in soil enrichment?

Blue Gree Algae is a photosynthetic Cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria are found in almost every conceivable environment, from oceans to fresh water to bare rock to soil.

Cyanobacteria have an elaborate and highly organized system of internal membranes which function in photosynthesis. Photosynthesis in cyanobacteria generally uses water as an electron donor and produces oxygen as a by-product, though some may also use hydrogen sulfide as occurs among other photosynthetic bacteria. Carbon dioxide is reduced to form carbohydrates via the Calvin cycle. In most forms the photosynthetic machinery is embedded into folds of the cell membrane, called thylakoids. The large amounts of oxygen in the atmosphere are considered to have been first created by the activities of ancient cyanobacteria. Due to their ability to fix nitrogen in aerobic conditions they are often found as symbionts with a number of other groups of organisms such as fungi (lichens), corals, pteridophytes (Azolla), angiosperms (Gunnera) etc.

Cyanobacteria are the only group of organisms that are able to reduce nitrogen and carbon in aerobic conditions, a fact that may be responsible for their evolutionary and ecological success.

This photosynthetic cyanobacteria that belongs to the plant kingdom is found in the paddy fields where good sunlight, water, high temperature and high nutrients are found. These bacteria fix the atmospheric nitrogen into the soil. It is normally seen floating as dense mats in paddy fields.

Application Method: The Blue Green Algae is added to the soil during the first week of transplantation of the paddy sapling. Normally 4 kgs per acre is the recommended dosage. Water level during this period should be maintained at a minimum of 3 cms in the paddy field. It is suggested to add Blue Green Algae for atleast four to five seasons in the paddy field. Subsequently, it grows naturally and will give a significant result which will lead to enrichment of the soil through fixation of atmospheric nitrogen as well as by increasing the humus value of the soil.

Warning:
Certain cyanobacteria produce cyanotoxins like anatoxin-a, anatoxin-as, aplysiatoxin, cylindrospermopsin, domoic acid, microcystin LR, nodularin R (from Nodularia), or saxitoxin. Sometimes a mass-reproduction of cyanobacteria results in algal blooms.
These toxins can be neurotoxins, hepatotoxins, cytotoxins, and endotoxins, and can be dangerous to animals and humans. Several cases of human poisoning have been documented but a lack of knowledge prevents an accurate assessment of the risks