Question

Assertion : Azolla pinnata is used as a biofertilizer in rice cultivation.

Answer 1

Azolla pinnata is a plant of Azolla family which is a family of world's smallest ferns. These ferns are free floating and have associations with nitrogen fixing bacteria which helps in the process of Nitrogen Fixation.

These ferns are chosen for coupling up with rice fields because the water used for the rice production is a good place for growing these and in turn these ferns helps in Nitrogen Fixation. Once the Rice crops mature these ferns die because of depriviation of sunlight and the remains of them serves as a fertilizer to the soil.

That is why Azolla pinnata is used as a biofertilizer in rice fields.