Evaluation of Fermented Azolla (Azolla pinnata) Extract as an Alternative Nutrient Medium for Spirulina (Limnospira platensis) Culture

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Published: Apr 30, 2026
Keywords:
Cost-effective Fermented Azolla pinnata Growth Limnospira platensis Protein content

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Mousumi Das
Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Gazipur Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh
Monira Sultana
Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Gazipur Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh
Md. Amzad Hossain
Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Gazipur Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh
Fazla Rabby Udoy
Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Gazipur Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh
Taslima Akter
Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Gazipur Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh
SM Rafiquzzaman
Department of Fisheries Biology and Aquatic Environment, Faculty of Fisheries, Gazipur Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh

Abstract

Limnospira platensis (Gomont, 1892) Roussel et al., 2023, formerly known as Spirulina platensis or Arthrospira platensis and hereafter referred to as ‘spirulina’ in this study, is a filamentous cyanobacterium with high nutritional value. It is widely used as a dietary supplement for humans and as a feed supplement for animals. Kosaric medium (KM) is the most widely used commercial medium for Spirulina sp. production; however, it incurs high production costs. This study aimed to evaluate fermented Azolla pinnata extract medium (FAEM) as a cost-effective alternative medium for spirulina culture. Growth, pigmentation, and protein content of spirulina were evaluated under a partial substitution design in which KM was replaced by FAEM at 25, 50, 75, and 100%, with 100% KM used as the control. Maximum dry cell weight (143.5±11.97 mg·L-1), optical density (1.54±0.08), specific growth rate (0.49±0.03 day-1), chlorophyll a (6.54±0.04 μg·mL-1), and β-carotene (2.93±0.04 μg·mL-1) of spirulina were observed in KM, while comparable results were obtained in FAEM25. However, all growth parameters gradually decreased as the FAEM concentration increased. The protein content of spirulina was significantly (p<0.05) higher in FAEM25 (65.6%) than in the other FAEM treatments and KM (59.4%). Total nitrogen and organic carbon contents were higher in FAEM (8640 ppm and 0.023%, respectively) compared to KM (5760 ppm and 0.015%, respectively). The medium cost of FAEM25 (0.18 USD·L-1) was lower compared to KM (0.25 USD·L-1). Therefore, FAEM25 can serve as a cost-effective alternative medium for spirulina cultivation, improving protein content while maintaining growth or pigmentation comparable to those obtained in KM.

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Das, M., Sultana, M. ., Hossain, M. A. ., Udoy, F. R. ., Akter, T. ., & Rafiquzzaman, S. . (2026). Evaluation of Fermented Azolla (Azolla pinnata) Extract as an Alternative Nutrient Medium for Spirulina (Limnospira platensis) Culture. Journal of Fisheries and Environment, 50(1), 171–188. retrieved from https://li01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/JFE/article/view/268188
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Vol. 50 No. 1 (2026): January-April
Section
Research Article
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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