Cyanobacteria from paddy fields in Iran as a biofertilizer in rice plants

Abstract

In this research cyanobacteria (Blue-Green Algae, BGA) were isolated, identified, multiplied and used as an inoculum in pot rice experiment. The pH, moisture and algal population were measured in four seasons. The highest and lowest pH (6.7, 6.2), moisture of soil (43%, 34%) and algal population (12, 20 Colony-Forming Units/50 ml on A and B medium and 4, 5 Colony-Forming Units/50 ml on A and B medium) were recorded in spring and winter, respectively. The only heterocystous cyanobacteria were found in soil samples identified as <I>Anabaena</I> with four species (<I>A. spiroides, A. variabilis, A. torulosa </I>and <I>A. osillarioides</I>). The germination of rice seeds treated with cyanobacteria was faster than control. The result of pot experiment were: increase of 53% in plant height; 66% in roots length; 58% in fresh leaf and stem weight; 80% in fresh root weight; 125% in dry leaf and stem weight; 150% in dry root weight; 20% in soil moisture; 28% in soil porosity and a decrease of 9.8% in soil bulk density and 4.8% in soil particle density. There were significant differences (<I>P</I> < 0.05) in pot treated with BGA as compared with control.