Author: Sifaben Soheb Ghanchivahora
Ghanchivahora, Sifaben Soheb, 2022 Evaluation of Limnospira maxima biomass and microwave-assisted extracts as biofertilisers to support growth of Sorghum bicolor, Flinders University, College of Medicine and Public Health
Terms of Use: This electronic version is (or will be) made publicly available by Flinders University in accordance with its open access policy for student theses. Copyright in this thesis remains with the author. You may use this material for uses permitted under the Copyright Act 1968. If you are the owner of any included third party copyright material and/or you believe that any material has been made available without permission of the copyright owner please contact copyright@flinders.edu.au with the details.
The microscopic filamentous cyanobacterium Spirulina is used as a complementary supplement. In agriculture, it is a potent source of nitrogen and other elements, enhancing plant growth. As comparative study of different microwave-assisted extracts from L.maxima, the pot experiment was carried out using nutrient-deficient soil and fertilised with seasol fertiliser, L. maxima biomass, microwave-assisted extracts (MAE) produced from L. maxima biomass at 40, 60 and 80oC, whilst compost soil and unfertilised nutrient-poor garden topsoil were used as positive and negative controls, respectively. Inductively-coupled optical emission spectroptroscpy (ICP-OES) and elemental analysis was performed in different pot tretment to estimate the content of P, K and N, C respectively. The N, P, K and C was examined at the start and end of the experiment. Sorghum leaf size, plant height and water holding capacity wre determined durin the experiment and significant growth were found in pots fertilised with L.maxima biomass. No significant differences were observed in sorghum biomass for the fresh and dry as well as above and below ground biomass for the different treatments. The present study demonstrated that L. maxima biomass can be used as an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative to chemical fertilisers.
Keywords: Keywords: Agriculture, L. maxima microalgae, Sorghum, Microwave-Assisted Extract (MAE)
Subject: Biotechnology thesis
Thesis type: Masters
Completed: 2022
School: College of Medicine and Public Health
Supervisor: Kirsten Heimann