{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "One Layer of Azolla Can Slash Your Urea Bill, Choke Out Weeds and Feed Your Cattle",
  "summary": "Growing the aquatic fern azolla in a flooded paddy field supplies nitrogen naturally, cutting urea costs by 25 to 30 percent, reducing weeds and giving livestock a protein-rich feed.",
  "content": "Paddy is the most dependable crop of the kharif season, and in states like Bihar it is grown on a vast scale. But if a tiny aquatic plant called azolla is grown alongside the rice in the same flooded field, it can take a real load off a farmer's wallet. That is exactly why azolla is treated as nothing short of a blessing for paddy cultivation.\n\nWhat azolla actually is\nAzolla is an aquatic fern that thrives in a temperate climate, the kind of place that is neither too hot nor too cold. On the water's surface it looks like a thin green layer. On the underside of this fern lives a symbiont, blue green algae or cyanobacteria, which converts the nitrogen in the air into a form plants can use.\n\nA win for both soil and crop\nNitrogen is a vital nutrient for soil health. Because azolla holds it in good quantity, the fertility of the field rises and the shortfall of chemical fertiliser is naturally made up. For this reason, growing azolla benefits the paddy crop and the soil at the same time. Rice needs plenty of nitrogen for healthy growth, and azolla delivers that nitrogen to the field through entirely natural means.\n\nHow and when to apply it\nThe method is simple. About a week after the paddy is transplanted, when the field is full of water, fresh azolla is sprinkled into it. The fern then spreads on its own and keeps supplying nitrogen to the field. The result is a smaller need for chemical fertiliser and a higher yield.\n\nUrea costs down by up to 30 percent\nFarmers usually make up the nitrogen shortfall by applying urea, which costs a fair amount of money. Azolla does the same job at no cost. According to Srinivas Kumar, a progressive farmer from Gaya district, using azolla can cut the need for urea and other nitrogen-based fertilisers by 25 to 30 percent. Naturally, when the cost falls, there is room for the farmer's profit to rise.\n\nRelief from the weed problem\nWeeds have always been a major headache in paddy farming. Azolla covers the entire water surface, so sunlight cannot reach below. With no light getting through, weeds either fail to grow or grow very little. The direct benefit is that both the cost of weeding and the labour expense come down.\n\nNutritious fodder for animals too\nThe benefit of azolla is not limited to the field; it is also very useful in animal husbandry. It contains a good amount of protein, which serves as nutritious feed for cattle. Many farmers grow azolla and feed it to their cows and buffaloes, which improves the animals' health and boosts milk production as well.\n\nWhat this means for you\n• Across India: Paddy farmers who adopt azolla can save 25 to 30 percent on urea and nitrogen fertilisers, while also spending less on weeding labour.\n• In Bihar: Where paddy is a major crop, farmers can cut cultivation costs and, by using azolla as protein-rich fodder for cows and buffaloes, boost milk output too.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. What is azolla?\nAzolla is an aquatic fern that appears as a green layer on the water's surface and converts atmospheric nitrogen into a form plants can use.\n\n2. How much does azolla reduce urea costs?\nAccording to Srinivas Kumar, a farmer from Gaya district, using azolla can cut the need for urea and other nitrogen fertilisers by 25 to 30 percent.\n\n3. When should azolla be applied to the field?\nFresh azolla is sprinkled into the field about a week after the paddy is transplanted, when the field is full of water.\n\n4. How does azolla control weeds?\nIt covers the entire water surface so sunlight cannot reach below, and the lack of light keeps weeds from growing much.\n\n5. Is azolla useful for livestock too?\nYes, it contains a good amount of protein, so many farmers feed it to cows and buffaloes, improving both their health and milk production.\n\n6. What kind of climate does azolla grow in?\nIt thrives in a temperate climate, meaning a place that is neither too hot nor too cold.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/business/ajola-ki-eka-parata-bachaegi-yuriya-ka-paisa-dhana-ke-kheta-men-ghatega-kharapatavara-aura-milega-maveshiyon-ka-chara-2697",
  "category": "Business",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-24",
  "tags": [
    "Azolla farming",
    "Paddy cultivation",
    "Urea cost",
    "Organic farming",
    "Bihar farmers",
    "Cattle fodder",
    "Weed control",
    "Nitrogen fertiliser"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}