The General Situation and Prospect for Azolla Breeding in China

This paper reviewed the earlier studies on Azoola cultivation, germplasm introduce and improvement in China. An effort made by National Azolla Research Center of Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences at germplasm improvement and breeding of Azolla including sexual hybridization of Azoola, re-establishment of Anabeana azollae with Anabaena free Azolla, radiation improvement of Azolla, back-cross breeding and characteristics of its progeny MH3-1 have been detailed. The authors also proposed that, more attention should be made on selecting fodder-using, salt-tolerant and rapid absorbing azolla varieties in further azolla breeding. In addition of above-mentioned methods, the introduce of pest-tolerant gene to Azolla, fuse of protoplast of Azolla, and gene transfer by electronmanipulation are recommended in order to obtain more effective achievement in Azolla breeding.