Cyanobacterial Richness in Paddy fields of Saidabad Block, Prayagraj District, UP, India

Abstract

Cyanobacteria are the common microbial population present in paddy fields. Their presence and diversity indicates the health of soil and also gives an idea of types of fertilizers used in field. This study on isolation and identification of cyanobacterial strains was carried out for the first time from ten paddy fields in Saidabad block, Prayagraj district to identify the local and dominant strains for future preparation and application of biofertilizer in different crop fields. These strains also have a future prospect to be utilized as liquid trees for the purification of environment at the study site. In the present work a total of 37 cyanobacterial species belonging to 26 genera and 10 families were recorded. Data indicates the dominance of filamentous heterocystous types like Nostoc, Anabaena, Aulosira and Gloeotrichia in paddy fields. However the frequency of occurrence and species diversity was maximum of non-heterocystous form Oscillatoria. Nostacales was the most dominant order with representatives of all its five families i.e. Oscillatoriaceae, Microchaetaceae, Nostocaceae, Scytonemataceae and Rivulariaceae.