Azolla as a source of biomass: a comparison with water hyacinth

Aquatic weeds are known for their high growth potential. In this paper Azolla‐an aquatic free floating fern‐has been considered as a source of biomass. The five aspects, viz., habitat and distribution, habit and morphology, major chemical components, control measures and environmental influences, and utilization aspects have been focused and compared with those of the water hyacinth. The many advantages offered by Azolla over water hyacinth have been demonstrated. The possibility of using Azolla for biogas generation has also been emphasized.