How To Grow Azolla

When training farmers on how to grow azolla in Kenya using Grekkon Limited’s dam liners, and shade nets, the company offers a detailed session to farmers as documented in this article. Azolla pinnata is the most common variety grown in Kenya

What is Azolla?

Azolla, belonging to the Salvinaceae family is a fresh water aquatic plant. It is a nitrogen fixing, branched free-floating fern also referred to as duckweed, mosquito fern or water fern. Its most popular characteristic is its ability to exponentially grow by doubling its biomass every 3 days depending on the growing conditions. This is why it is regarded as a super plant. Some refer to it as the green gold mine due to its high nutritive value

Benefits of azolla

• it is a green manure because of its nitrogen fixing property
• it reduces weeds
• soil organic carbon is increased which in turn microbial biomass in the soil
• as a livestock feed, its is an economical way of providing affrodable high protein, essential amino acids, and vitamins (A, B12, Beta Carotene) to animals

How to grow azolla in Kenya

Nutrition Requirements

i .Light: Azolla grows well under partial shade. Growth decreases quickly under heavy shade (lower than 1,500 lux) and more than 50% of full sunlight reduces photosynthesis. This is why a shade net cover is necessary where sunlight is intense. It causes it to turn reddish brown, which reduces the nutrient value

ii. Nutrition: for vigorous production, add 20kgs per Ha of phosphorous. Cow dung slurry, and super phospahte fertiliser provides this

iii. Relative humidity : high at 80 – 90 %

iv. Growing PH: lightly acidic media at : 5.2-5.8

v. Temperature: keep it below  25 degrees centigrade for a luxurious growth. Where it exceeds this, provide a shade net cover

vi. Water: fresh water 10-15 cm in the multiplication pond, adequate water level in the pond is 4 inches

Steps on how to grow azolla

• select a pond site in a cool shaded location. Shade minimises evaporation, and encourages rapid growth. Ensure that that the pond site is close to a water source. To produce 1kg of azolla daily, the pond will be 2M (L) x 1.5M (W) x 0.15M (D) in dimension
• line the pond using a dam liner to prevent water loss through seepage into the soil
• add soil mixed with cow dung in the pond. Slurry can also be used. These are mixed with water and spread uniformly in the pond
• add 1kg of azolla culture

 

How to grow azolla

Maintainance

• add 20g of super phosphate mixed with 1kg cow dung every 5 days to keep it’s growth vigorous
• replace the azolla crop after 6 months
• harvest the crop after 15 days by hand or a plastic scoop, then every 3 days afterwards to avoid overcrowding, and maintaining a large biomass. With good feeding, the yield is 1.5kgs – 1.6kgs every 3 days
• clean it thoroughly to remove the cow dung smell
• dry it or feed it fresh to livestock. It can also be mixed with other animal feeds

 

How to Grow Azolla

FAQs

1. How profitable is azolla farming in Kenya?

Azolla farming is profitable beacuse of its many uses. It can be grown commercially as;

• livstock feed
• a bio fertiliser
• as propagation material to sell to other farmers seeking to set up azolla growing units

2. What is azolla used for?

As a nitrogenous fertliser, and as an animal feed. It is easily digestible because of its high protein and low lignin content. It increases feed efficiency, daily anaimal weight gain, and milk production by 15% – 20%

3. Why is my azolla turning black?

It first turns brown due to too much exposure to sunlight, high temperatures, lack of nutrients in the pond or fungal / bacterial diseases. Eventually, the crop dies

4. Can azolla survive without sunlight?

No

5. What are the negative effects of azolla?

Azolla shades out other water plants, killing them together with fish and other aquatic animals. Its decay creates a strong odour which affects fish and other aquatic animals

6. What are the limitations of azolla?

It cannot grow in a waterless environment

7. Does azolla repel mosquitoes?

Yes it does by over 95%

8. Does azolla increase eggs production in chicken?

Yes it does because it provides protein, that adds weight to the bird

Shade Nets In Kenya

As the top among all shade net suppliers in Kenya, Grekkon Limited’s shade nets in Kenya are of different types and color. We have all types of shade nets for agriculture, for the production of  both food, and none food crops. The cost price of a shade net roll is from Kes 12,500. Below, we answer commonly asked questions

1. What are shade nets?

They are HDPE, UV treated woven or knitted netting material that regulate the amount of light and heat from the sun, air and moisture. Shade nets reduce the temperature delta (difference between day and night temperatures), thereby avoiding a sudden temperature variation, so that plants don’t suffer from thermal shock A good degree of beneficial moisture is trapped between the ground and the net. They are water permeable so that rain water, and irrigation water will reach the crop and keep it hydrated

 

 

 

 

 

2. What are shade nets used for?

• In the nursery to protect seedlings from direct radiation, and harden seedlings
• In orchards and farms to protect crops from intense sunlight as well as bird and insect pests
• Shade net fencing. On a fence to block excessive wind on the crop, and to reduce the farm’s view from outside
• To cover water reservoirs or water tanks so as to reduce water loss by evaporation
• In livestock production to protect them against extreme heat

3. How much do shade nets cost in Kenya?

Tabulated below are our shade net prices in Kenya are per meters squared, by type

% Shade	Cost per M Sq In Kes
30%	70
55%	75
75%	100
90%	170

Grekkon Limited’s shade nets are available as 50M x 4M rolls in all our branches country wide

 

4. What is the cost of shade net per acre?

Our shade nets for sale in Kenya by per acre are measured as 4,100M sq

% Shade	Cost per Acre In Kes
30%	295,200
55%	352,600
75%	410,000
90%	697,000

5. What are the types of shade nets?

By material

1. Woven shade nets. They are made from polypropylene, are heavier and allow heat build up. They withstand the most extreme exposure to the sun, and have minimum shrinkage. Woven shade nets are for shading of plants, pet kennels, windscreens, patios and for privacy. Woven shade nets are 30% heavier than knitted shade nets, and are difficult to install
2. Knitted shade nets. They are made up lightweight polyethylene. They have an open lock-stitch design that  resists wind damage, and reduces heat build up in the net. The level of shrinkage is 2% to 3%. Knitted shade nets have better longevity in agricultural use as they resist agro-chemicals and detergents. They are preferred for shade houses, and greenhouses.

Grekkon Limited’s shade nets are all knitted with monofilament fabric which is durable due to he thicker thread. A thicker thread has a longer process of photo oxidation as compared to a thinner thread, hence the longer lifespan

 

 

By % shade

1. 90% shade nets are appropriate for crop nurseries located in low altitude or extremely hot locations
2. 75% shade nets are preferred for nurseries in high to mid altitude locations that are also hot. They are also used in the hardening stage of seedlings in hot low altitudes. This will grow ferns, orchids and succulents
3. 55% shade nets are for hardening of nursery crops, or for growing plants in very hot locations for crops that are sensitive to intense sunlight. Good for growing cabbage, geraniums, lettuce, foliage plants, cuttings, orchids and most potted plants
4. 30% shade nets are for growing crops that need just a little bit of shading, yet lots of light for photosynthesis. Great for growing heat tolerant plants like tomato, pepper, roses, strawberry, cucumber and squash

 

 

By color

1. Black
2. Green

The color choice does not affect the performance for these two. Both allow all light wavelengths go through. However, brightly colored shade nets like white and aluminum reflect the sun’s heat creating a cooling effect

6. How do shade nets work?

They absorb or reflect the sun’s heat. They act as filters by depriving the plants of excess sunlight

Shade Nets In Kenya

How To Select The Right Shade Net

1. Crop type. Some crops require more shade than others
2. Stage of growth. Seedlings will be more shaded than mature crops
3. Farming method. A shade net on a greenhouse will be lighter than that in the open field for the same crop
4. Season. Denser nets will go with hotter seasons
5. Location. Hot low altitude locations will have denser nets than higher altitude cooler places
6. Usage. The wind break net, the water reservoir cover net, the greenhouse cover net, and the open field net will differ

 

Our shade nets are green or black in color. The color has no bearing on the net effectiveness, but is rather for aesthetic reasons. Shade nets are supported by steel, or wooden frames for shade houses