Pigment analysis and ammonia excretion in herbicide tolerant cyanobacteria

Isolation of cyanobacteria was attempted from herbicide applied rice soils. The predominant genera were Westiellopsis followed by Anabaena, Nostoc and Oscillatoria. The herbicide tolerance was further tested by growing the cyanobacterial cultures in BG-11 medium supplemented with varying concentrations of the commonly used rice herbicide, viz butachlor under in vitro condition. The chlorophyll-a, phycobiliproteins and ammonia excretion were assessed at periodic intervals. Westiellopsis showed the maximum tolerance followed by Anabaena, Nostoc and Oscillatoria.