Duckweed

Here are some interesting factoids I can share while I take a break from the garage thing.

"The maximum growth rate in Lemnaceae is species and clone specific. The highest growth rate...corresponds to about a doubling time of 24 hours. This was noted in L. aequinoctialis and in W. microscopica. This highest growth rate results in an increas of 1 gram per gram dry weight a day, or 64 grams per gram dry weight a week. In comparison, fast growing corn does not produce more than 2.3 g/g a week."

Productivity of Lemnaceae in the wild varies by reports from about 7 to 39 tons dry weight per hectare per year.

"Protein content reaches 15 to 45% of dry weight. The lower limit of nitrogen concentration in the growth solution resulting in a high % protein is 20-30 mg/L (ppm)."

"Not only the quantity but also the quality of proteins makes Lemnaceae economically interesting. With the exception of tryptophane and methionine, all essential amino acids used in human and animal food are satisfactorily present. Tryptophane is detected only in traces. Methionine content varies between 0.3% and 3% of the total protein, depending on the clone and it varied with investigators....Chang et al (1977) analyzed as much as 3.1 to 4.7% methionine, a value which would satisfy the requirements of the FAO"

"The essential amino acid index (EAA) amounts to 76 for Lemnaceae. In comparison, the EAA for eggs is reported as 97. The protein efficiency ratio for Lemnacea fed to grass carp reached 2.36"

"Considering the high productivity and the high protein content of Lemnacea, the protein yield per area must be higher than that of any other crop plant. If we assume a maximum yield of 50 tons dry weight per hectare / year and a mean percentage of protein harves of 30% of the dry weight, we can expect a protein harvest of up to 15 ton per hectare per year.....Oron et. al. indicate that protein yield of duckweed grown in waste water systems may reach 12 ton per hectare per year. Soybean...yields up to 0.7 tons protein per hectare per year....about 1/20th of the potential yield of Lemnacea."

Well, there is all kinds of good stuff in here.....Looks like I'll be up reading tonight...or is it re-reading...I really don't remember reading all this 2 decades ago, but maybe I did.....Yeah this should keep me awake reading tonight.... for about 30 minutes.... until I pass out from all the effort in the garage today.

If you folks have any specific questions/ interests that I can field from these books, please let me know...there is all kind of stuff on harvesting, animal feed, light conditions, nutrients...yada...yada..

Have a great weekend.

Ted