Record of the literature on blue-green algae and rice; Ecology of blue-green algae in paddy fields; Physiology of blue-green algae in paddy fields; Blue-green algae and the rice plant; Algalization.
Distribution and succession of blue-green algae in rice fields; Algal nitrogen fixation in rice soils; Methods for the assay of nitrogen fixation; Algal application and soil properties; Pesticides and blue-green algae; Crop-alga association; Establishment of blue-green algae in rice soils; Algal application and rice yield; Production of algae for field application; Recommendations for field application of blue-green algae; Economics of algal production and application; Indian State level organizational patthern for the transfer of blue-green algae technology; Elements of development programmes; Appendices: General features of blue-green algae; List of nitrogen-fixing blue-green algae; Keys to the orders and genera of some nitrogen-fixing blue-green algae; Description of the nitrogen-fixing blue-green algal genera; Culture media; Isolation and quantification procedures; Proforma for compiling information on the production and performance of algal fertilizer material.
This book contains a geeral account on the structure, morphology and classification of Blue-Green Algae and a detailed taxonomic survey of blue-Green Algae from rice fields of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. A brief account of culturing Blue Green Algae under laboratory conditions and mass cultivation under field conditions are also included.
Rice fields provide an ideal environment for harbouring Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). A number of reports are now available to indicate a wide distributional spectrum of these organisoms under different soil and agroclimatic conditions. There is enough evidence that these rice fields cyanobacteria are capable of atmospheric nitrogen fixation in considerably large quantities and to some extent the organic matters. Thus the role of nitrogen fixing Cyanobacteria in the maintenance of the rice field soil fertility has been well sustained and documented. There is now positive evidence for the nitrogen fixing ability of more than 100 species of Cyanobacteria. During growth, Cyanobacteria liberate relatively large quantities of combined nitrogen mainly in the form of polypeptides with lesser amounts of free amino acids. Vitamins and auxin live substance. Approximately 40 to 50% of the algal nitrogen has been found to be recovered by the rice crop. These observations indicate the efficiency of these organisoms as a biological nitrogen source in a rice field ecosystem. In this book, a comprehensive floristic account on the rice field Cyanobacterial studies were attempted. In addition this book also offers an extensive discussion on isolation and cultural techniques and application in various fields. Contents Chapter 1: Biology of Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria); Chapter 2: Isolation, Purification and Cultivation of Blue-Green Algae; Chapter 3: Taxonomic Enumeration of Rice-Fields Blue-Green Algae; Chapter 4: Importance of Blue-Green Algae.