Biodiversity of Indigenous Cyanobacteria In Water Fern, Azolla sp., From Malaysian Isolates

Abstract

Biodiversity encompasses the variety of life forms across from various ecosystems and it is imperative for ecosystem functioning, economy, including human well-being. Azolla is the only known plant with a permanent symbiotic relationship with the nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria. The plant ability to fix nitrogen has rendered it highly valuable in various economic sectors, including agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology. Despite the natural occurrence of Azolla in Malaysian water and its widespread agricultural use, there is currently insufficient biodiversity data available for the Azolla plant and its cyanobiont. The purpose of this study is to determine the morphological appearance including identifying the species of isolated indigenous cyanobacteria within Azolla samples from different locations in Malaysia. The correlation between the number of heterocysts to the health status of Azolla was also analyzed in this study.