Decoding the Agricultural Potential of Cyanobacterial Diversity in Lentic Water Bodies: An Integrated Ecological and Sustainable Farming Perspective

Abstract

Cyanobacteria are ecologically versatile oxygenic photosynthetic microorganisms distributed across freshwater, marine and terrestrial environments. Lentic ecosystems such as ponds, lakes, reservoirs and wetlands provide diverse ecological niches for cyanobacterial communities and represent important reservoirs of biological diversity. Beyond their ecological functions, selected cyanobacteria possess characteristics of considerable agricultural importance, particularly biological nitrogen fixation, nutrient mobilization, production of bioactive compounds and potential plant-growth-promoting activities. The present review synthesizes published literature on cyanobacterial diversity in lentic freshwater environments and evaluates its potential contribution to sustainable agriculture. Particular emphasis is placed on ecological functions, nitrogen fixation, biofertilizer potential, plant-growth promotion, nutrient cycling and possible contributions to climate-resilient agricultural systems. The literature indicates that nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria can contribute to soil fertility and may complement conventional nutrient-management practices. Cyanobacterial biomass and metabolites have also been investigated as biofertilizers and biostimulants capable of supporting plant growth and improving nutrient-use efficiency. However, agricultural utilization requires careful strain selection because freshwater cyanobacterial communities also contain bloom-forming and potentially toxin-producing taxa. Major limitations include strain identification, cultivation cost, formulation stability, variable field performance, biosafety and regulatory requirements. Future research should therefore integrate ecological surveys, molecular identification, functional screening, biosafety assessment and field validation. The integration of indigenous cyanobacterial resources with sustainable nutrient-management strategies could provide a promising pathway toward environmentally responsible and climate-resilient agriculture.

Keywords: Cyanobacteria; Blue-green algae; Lentic ecosystems; Biofertilizer; Nitrogen fixation; Sustainable agriculture; Plant growth promotion; Freshwater ecology.

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