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Explora: Environment

and Resource

REVIEW ARTICLE
Exploring Anabaena-Azolla

symbiosis: Multifunctional roles in sustainable
agriculture, livestock productivity, and bioenergy

Ponnusamy Ramesh 1 , Gangatharan Muralitharan * ,
1,2
3,4
3,4
Chelliah Koventhan * , An-Ya Lo * , and Bhooma Venkatesan 1
1 Department of Microbiology, Centre of Excellence in Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University,
Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu, India
2 Fresh Water and Marine Units, National Repository for Microalgae and Cyanobacteria, Bharathidasan
University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu, India
3 Energy and Functional Materials Laboratory, Institute of Electro-Optical Engineering, National
Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
4 Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, National Chin-Yi
University of Technology, Taichung, Taiwan

Abstract

*Corresponding authors: Cyanobacteria are prokaryotic group of ancient, morphologically varied organisms
Gangatharan Muralitharan that utilize oxygen for photosynthesis, contributing significantly to global carbon
(drgm@bdu.ac.in);
Chelliah Koventhan and nitrogen fixation while improving crop quality. With the rising population
(koventhanc@ncut.edu.tw); and increasing demand for food, advancing agricultural productivity is essential.
An-Ya Lo Therefore, ongoing research is crucial for boosting crop development and increasing
(aylo@ntnu.edu.tw)
food output. According to previous studies, cyanobacteria are among the best
Citation: Ramesh P, sources for crop development and enhancement. In addition, the Azolla-Anabaena
Muralitharan G, Koventhan C,
Lo A, Venkatesan B. Exploring are environmentally significant organisms, as they can be used in bioremediation, the
Anabaena-Azolla symbiosis: reclamation of infertile land, mosquito control, and the sustainable intensification
Multifunctional roles in sustainable of animal husbandry by serving as high-quality fodder. Furthermore, they play a
agriculture, livestock productivity,
and bioenergy. Explora Environ role in bioenergy development, emphasizing bio-oil and biodiesel production.
Resour. 2025;2(2):7975. The applications of these cyanobacterial systems extend far beyond traditional
doi: 10.36922/eer.7975 agriculture, presenting opportunities for innovation in the bioenergy sector.
Received: December 18, 2024 This review provides in-depth information on the critical role of cyanobacteria in
ecological restoration and socioeconomic improvement, offering valuable insights
Revised: February 25, 2025
for advancing sustainable agricultural practices and renewable energy solutions.
Accepted: March 19, 2025 In addition, the review highlights broader applications of the Anabaena-azollae
Published online: April 7, 2025 symbiosis in nitrogen fixation, plant growth, and animal feed, underscoring their
multifaceted nature and vast potential for practical use.
Copyright: © 2025 Author(s).
This is an Open-Access article
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution Keywords: Azolla; Cyanobacteria; Plant growth; Socioeconomy; Bioenergy
License, permitting distribution,
and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is
properly cited. 1. Introduction
Publisher’s Note: AccScience
Publishing remains neutral with Blue-green algae, commonly known as cyanobacteria, are prokaryotic microorganisms
regard to jurisdictional claims in 1
published maps and institutional that are extremely ancient. These primitive life forms, still living today, produce
affiliations. their energy through oxygenic photosynthesis. The cyanobacterial classification

Volume 2 Issue 2 (2025) 1 doi: 10.36922/eer.7975