Assessment of Blue-Green Algae in Substantially Reducing Nitrogen Fertilizer Requirements for Biomass Fuel Crops

摘要

Laboratory, mass culture, and field studies are being undertaken in order to assess the potential of using blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) as nitrogen biofertilizers on irrigated ground. Of seven candidate strains, two were chosen for application to replicated field plots sown to field corn and the basis of laboratory-scale soil tray experiments and ease of semi-continuous 8000 l culture. Chosen were Anabaena BM-165, isolated from a local soil and Tolypothrix tenuis, imported from India. Using the acetylene reduction method, Anabaena is estimated from laboratory soil experiments to be able to fix from 30 to 62 kg N/ha/y, and has been mass cultured to a density of 1527 mg dry wt/l. T. tenuis is estimated from laboratory experiments to be able to fix from 27 to 65 kg N/ha/y, and has been mass cultured to a density of 1630 mg dry wt/l. (ERA citation 07:021210)