The Use of Soil Algae in Agriculture

Under the general name "algae" (Algae) combine very diverse lower chlorophyll-bearing organisms. It is customary to refer to soil algae as algae, for which typical habitats are the surface and thickness of the soil layer. The vast majority of algae inhabiting the soil have microscopic forms. About 2000 species of microscopic soil algae are known, presumably less than 10% of the species existing in nature. Every year, algologists reveal more and more new species. Algae of four divisions predominantly develop in the soil: Chlorophyta (green), Xanthophyta (yellow-green), Bacillariophyta (diatoms) and Cyanophyta (blue-green). Red ( Rodophyta ) and Euglenophyta (Euglenophyta) algae are much less common. Unlike all other algae, blue-green algae are prokaryotes, since their cells do not have a morphologically distinct nucleus. Therefore, recently this group has been referred to bacteria and is considered as cyanobacteria (Cyanobacteria). Developing mainly in the upper soil horizons (up to 200 thousand cells per 1 cm3). In contrast to abundance, algae biomass rarely reaches high values. On average, it varies between 30-200 kg / ha. The synthesis and transformation of organic matter in algae is a very dynamic process