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Animal diseases are among the most debilitating issues in the animal farming industry, resulting in decreased productivity and product quality worldwide. An emerging alternative to conventional injectable vaccines is edible vaccines, which promise increased delivery efficiency while maintaining vaccine effectiveness. One of the most promising platforms for edible vaccines is duckweeds, due to their high growth rate, ease of transformation, and excellent nutritional content. This review explores the potential, feasibility, and advantages of using duckweeds as platforms for edible vaccines. Duckweeds have proven to be superb feed sources, as evidenced by numerous improvements in both quantity (e.g., weight gain) and quality (e.g., yolk pigmentation). In terms of heterologous protein production, duckweeds, being plants, are capable of expressing proteins with complex structures and post-translational modifications. Research efforts have focused on the development of duckweed-based edible vaccines, including those against avian influenza, tuberculosis, Newcastle disease, and mastitis, among others. As with any emerging technology, the development of duckweeds as a platform for edible vaccines is still in its early stages compared to well-established injectable vaccines. It is evident that more proof-of-concept studies are required to bring edible vaccines closer to the current standards of conventional vaccines. Specifically, the duckweed expression system needs further development in areas such as yield and growth rate, especially when compared to bacterial and mammalian expression systems. Continued efforts in this field could lead to breakthroughs that significantly improve the resilience of the animal farming industry against disease threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the influence of various parameters on the efficiency of cultivating and preserving Lemna aequinoctialis duckweed samples in vitro, with the aim of minimizing time, labor, and storage expenses. The method addresses the issue of limited space and the risk of sample loss by storing multiple duplicates (more than one tube or flask per sample) in a space-efficient and cost-effective container. Due to the practical implications and capacity to decrease operating expenses, our results are helpful for large-scale implementation. Using a single frond resulted in a longer preservation effect compared to sample densities of three and five fronds. Initial samples can be cultured in nutrient solution with or without sugar, stored in tap water or nutrient solution, kept at a stable temperature of 25 ± 2°C or room temperature. The test tubes with duckweed were not covered, or covered by black paper up to the solution surface or higher. The outcomes demonstrated that all three duckweed samples (HNP_005, HNP_026, and HNP_031), whether grown in SSM or SFM media, were best preserved if the tubes were covered by black paper higher than the solution surface (CH) and can be kept at room temperature for at least 9 mo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lemna turionifera is native to North America and northern Asia, with significant potential for industrial wastewater remediation. The complete nucleotide sequence of the L. turionifera chloroplast genome (cpDNA) was determined. The cpDNA is a circular molecule of 166,606 bp and containing a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) measuting 31,663 bp each. These IRs are flanked by a small single-copy region of 13,542 bp and a large single-copy region of 89,738 bp. The chloroplast genome of L. turionifera consisted of 112 unique genes, including 78 protein-encoding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and four rRNA genes. The phylogenetic analysis utilizing cpDNA provided a well-supported resolution of the relationships among subfamilies within the Araceae family. Our findings indicated a close relationship between L. turionifera and a clade consisting of L. minor, L. japonica, and L. gibba. The availability of the complete chloroplast genome sequence of L. turionifera presents valuable data for future phylogenetic investigations within the Lemnaceae family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Duckweeds are a widely distributed and economically important aquatic plant family that have high potential for phytoremediation of polluted water bodies. We collected four ecotypes of the common duckweed Lemna minor from the four corners of Switzerland and assessed how their home versus away environments influenced their growth. Additionally, we investigated their response to a metal pollutant (zinc, Zn) in both their home and away environments. Zn is found in freshwater systems and can become harmful to plants at elevated concentrations. We hypothesized that growing in their home environment would help the plants buffer the negative effect of the metal pollutant. To test this, we measured Lemna growth in a common garden experiment in a glasshouse where the four ecotypes were grown in each of the water environments, as well as in three different concentrations of Zn. To investigate whether interactions between Lemna and its microbial community can enhance or reduce tolerance to heavy metal pollution, we sampled chlorophyll‐a as a proxy for algal biomass. Finally, we measured total nitrogen and total organic carbon to describe the abiotic environment in more detail. The four Lemna ecotypes exhibited significantly different growth rates across the water treatments. This difference in fitness was matched with DNA sequencing revealing genetic differentiation between the four ecotypes. However, the effect of the water and Zn treatment on Lemna growth was the same for all ecotypes. We did not find evidence for local adaptation; instead, we observed strong plastic responses. Lemna growth rates were higher under higher Zn concentrations. This positive effect of Zn on Lemna growth could be in part due to reduced competition with algae. We conclude that L. minor ecotypes may exhibit large differences in growth rate, but that the species overall has a high Zn tolerance and strong plastic adaptive potential in novel environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Duckweeds, including the common duckweed Lemna minor, are increasingly used to test eco‐evolutionary theories. Yet, despite its popularity and near‐global distribution, the understanding of its population structure (and genetic variation therein) is still limited. It is essential that this is resolved, because of the impact genetic diversity has on experimental responses and scientific understanding. Through whole‐genome sequencing, we assessed the genetic diversity and population genomic structure of 23 natural Lemna spp. populations from their natural range in Switzerland. We used two distinct analytical approaches, a reference‐free kmer approach and the classical reference‐based one. Two genetic clusters were identified across the described species distribution of L. minor, surprisingly corresponding to species‐level divisions. The first cluster contained the targeted L. minor individuals and the second contained individuals from a cryptic species: Lemna japonica. Within the L. minor cluster, we identified a well‐defined population structure with little intra‐population genetic diversity (i.e., within ponds) but high inter‐population diversity (i.e., between ponds). In L. japonica, the population structure was significantly weaker and genetic variation between a subset of populations was as low as within populations. This study revealed that L. japonica is more widespread than previously thought. Our findings signify that thorough genotype‐to‐phenotype analyses are needed in duckweed experimental ecology and evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims The duckweeds (Lemnaceae) consist of 36 species exhibiting impressive phenotypic variation, including the progressive evolutionary loss of a fundamental plant organ, the root. Loss of roots and reduction of vascular tissues in recently derived taxa occur in concert with genome expansions of ≤14-fold. Given the paired loss of roots and reduction in structural complexity in derived taxa, we focus on the evolution of the ionome (whole-plant elemental contents) in the context of these fundamental changes in body plan. We expect that progressive vestigiality and eventual loss of roots might have both adaptive and maladaptive consequences that are hitherto unknown. Methods We quantified the ionomes of 34 accessions in 21 species across all duckweed genera, spanning 70 Myr in this rapidly cycling plant (doubling times are as rapid as ~24 h). We related both micro- and macroevolutionary ionome contrasts to body plan remodelling and showed nimble microevolutionary shifts in elemental accumulation and exclusion in novel accessions. Key Results We observed a robust directional trend in calcium and magnesium levels, decreasing from the ancestral representative Spirodela genus towards the derived rootless Wolffia , with the latter also accumulating cadmium. We also identified abundant within-species variation and hyperaccumulators of specific elements, with this extensive variation at the fine (as opposed to broad) scale. Conclusions These data underscore the impact of root loss and reveal the very fine scale of microevolutionary variation in hyperaccumulation and exclusion of a wide range of elements. Broadly, they might point to trade-offs not well recognized in ionomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the primary sustainability challenges in aquaculture is replacing fish meal with plant‐based ingredients in aquafeeds. Plants are not optimal due to low protein content and antinutritional factors which can cause gut dysbiosis. Duckweed (Lemnaceae) is a family of aquatic plants with high protein content and has been used successfully for various types of animal feeds. In this systematic review and meta‐analysis of 58 papers, we summarize the extent by which duckweed has been used in fish production including the species of fish tested, the grow‐out stage of fish, and method of application. Duckweed studies spanned a total of 18 species of fish (16 freshwater and two marine) that collectively are valued at 263 billion USD annually, and comprise 28% of total aquaculture production by mass. The average experiment length was 72 days (SD 42), primarily at the fingerling life stage. Duckweed was fed to the fish through live grazing, dried, and pelleted forms with 20% inclusion as the most common formulation. The Lemna spp., dominated by L. minor, L. gibba, and unknown Lemna species, were the most commonly used for feeds. Spirodela polyrhiza was the second most common. Duckweed inclusion levels between 15% and 30% were associated with positive outcomes on fish growth and feed conversion ratio without any negative impact on survival rates. Most duckweed species, especially from Wollfiella have not been tested as a fish feed but should be explored whereas most studies focused on freshwater fishes rather than marine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the ecotoxicological effects of a selected OSB material on three model plants (green freshwater algae Desmodesmus subspicatus, duckweed Lemna minor, and seeds of lettuce Lactuca sativa) were tested. A 24 h and 168 h leachate of the same OSB material was prepared. Mg, Si, Ca, K, Fe, Zn, Mn, and Na were found in the samples. Their higher residues were measured in the 168 h leachate. Biogenic elements (N, P, C) were not detected. The acute effect was relatively slow (for algae up to 26%, for duckweed up to 20%, and for lettuce seeds with stimulation up to 37%). Prolongation of the leaching time did not show any effect on the results of the plant tests. Acute toxicity for the three plant species used was slow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic plants, just like terrestrial plants, are exposed to oxidative stress. However, their responses are still under-researched. In this study, we examined the physiological and antioxidative responses of an aquatic plant, duckweed (Lemna minor L.), to four indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)-degrading and -producing Pseudomonas bacteria (Pseudomonas oryzihabitans D1-104/3, P. putida A3-104/5, P. gessardii C31-106/3 and P. yamanorum C44-104/1) and/or a supraphysiological level of IAA (10 mg L−1). Growth characteristics, total photosynthetic pigment content, histochemical localization of reactive oxygen species and antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD, CAT and POX) were evaluated at two time points, after 3 and 7 days of co-cultivation. Superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide were produced and accumulated mainly in the roots, daughter fronds and veins of duckweeds. Duckweeds' responses depended on the strain of Pseudomonas, time and exogenous IAA. Co-cultivation of duckweed with bacteria has positive or neutral effects. Exogenous application of IAA had a negative or neutral effect on enzyme activity and other parameters. Co-cultivation with P. gessardii C31-106/3 showed plant-growth-promoting effects on duckweed: increased biomass production, modulation of duckweeds' antioxidant enzymatic activity and reduction in hydrogen peroxide content. This study widens our knowledge of aquatic plants and their response to oxidative stress, supports the hypothesis that plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) induce tolerable levels of oxidative stress in plants and introduces a new PGPB strain, P. gessardii C31-106/3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant microbiomes that comprise diverse microorganisms, including prokaryotes, eukaryotes and viruses, are the key determinants of plant population dynamics and ecosystem function. Despite their importance, little is known about how species interactions (especially trophic interactions) between microbes from different domains modify the importance of microbiomes for plant hosts and ecosystems. Using the common duckweed Lemna minor, we experimentally examined the effects of predation (by bacterivorous protists) and parasitism (by bacteriophages) within microbiomes on plant population size and ecosystem phosphorus removal. Our results revealed that the addition of predators increased plant population size and phosphorus removal, whereas the addition of parasites showed the opposite pattern. The structural equation modelling further pointed out that predation and parasitism affected plant population size and ecosystem function via distinct mechanisms that were both mediated by microbiomes. Our results highlight the importance of understanding microbial trophic interactions for predicting the outcomes and ecosystem impacts of plant–microbiome symbiosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ribosomal DNA (rDNA) contains highly conserved, specifically organized sequences encoding ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) separated by variable nontranscribed intergenic spacers (NTSs) and is abundant in eukaryotic genomes. These characteristics make the rDNA an informative molecular target to study genome organization, molecular evolution, and phylogenetics. In this study, we characterized the 5S rDNA repeats in the greater duckweed Spiroldela polyrhiza, a species known for its small size, rapid growth, highly conserved genome organization, and low mutation rate. Sequence analysis of at least 12 individually cloned PCR fragments containing the 5S rDNA units for each of six ecotypes that originated from Europe (Ukraine) and Asia (China) revealed two distinct types of 5S rDNA repeats containing NTSs of different lengths and nucleotide compositions. The shorter 5S rDNA repeat units had a highly homogeneous 400-bp NTS, with few ecotype-or region-specific singlenucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The longer 5S rDNA units had NTSs of 1056-1084 bp with characteristic intra- and inter-genomic variants due to specific SNPs and insertions/deletions of 4-15-bp DNA elements. We also detected significant variability in the ratio of short/long 5S rDNA variants between ecotypes of S. polyrhiza. The contrasting dynamics of the two types of 5S rDNA units, combined with the unusually low repeat copy number (for plants) in S. polyrhiza (46-220 copies per genome), shows that this species could serve as an excellent model for examining the mechanisms of concerted evolution and functional significance of rDNA variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common duckweeds are flowering plants of the family Araceae, comprising the smallest angiosperms of the plant kingdom, a species of aquatic algae of universal distribution, found on the surface of freshwater bodies, mainly in puddles, swamps, lakes, and calm rivers. Recently, different research has been carried out on its potential and usefulness. Due to its nutritional composition, protein contribution, high fiber content and low fat and carbohydrate content, it would be an adequate input to generate products of high nutritional value, characteristics that make it interesting compared to other species. It is used as a complement to commercial diets in a wide variety of animals such as birds, ruminants, non-ruminants, crustaceans, and fish, reducing feed costs by up to 50 %. Likewise, used in remediation processes of a wide range of chemical contaminants with a high elimination rate, they can absorb some dissolved substances and provide oxygen through photosynthesis. It has been indicated that they are low cost of construction, maintenance, easy to operate, have a wide tolerance to growing conditions, are generally easy to harvest, and do not compete with farmland. In the environmental field, it is important to find alternative and innovative raw materials, even without the need to use growth media or fertilizers, however, their acceptance as a food source needs extensive research regarding their nutritional value, large-scale yield, economic market supply and analysis of antinutritive components for human food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dasatinib (DAS), a potent anticancer drug, has been subjected to formulation enhancements due to challenges such as significant first-pass metabolism, poor absorption, and limited oral bioavailability. To improve its release profile, DAS was embedded in a matrix of the hydrophilic polymer polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). Drug amorphization was induced in a planetary ball mill by solvent-free co-grinding, facilitating mechanochemical activation. This process resulted in the formation of amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs). The ASD capsules exhibited a notable enhancement in the release rate of DAS compared to capsules containing the initial drug. Given that anticancer drugs often undergo limited metabolism in the body with unchanged excretion, the ecotoxicological effect of the native form of DAS was investigated as well, considering its potential accumulation in the environment. The highest ecotoxicological effect was observed on the bacteria Vibrio fischeri, while other test organisms (bacteria Pseudomonas putida, microalgae Chlorella sp., and duckweed Lemna minor) exhibited negligible effects. The enhanced drug release not only contributes to improved oral absorption but also has the potential to reduce the proportion of DAS that enters the environment through human excretion. This comprehensive approach highlights the significance of integrating advances in drug development while considering its environmental implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Duckweeds span 36 species of free-floating aquatic organisms with body sizes ranging from 2 mm to 10 mm, where each plant body plan is reduced to a largely leaf-like structure. As an emerging crop, their fast growth rates offer potential for cultivation in closed systems. We describe a novel UK collection derived from low light (dLL) or high light (dHL) habitats, profiled for growth, photosynthesis, and photoprotection (non-photochemical quenching, NPQ) responses. Twenty-three accessions of three Lemna species and one Spirodela polyrhiza were grown under relatively low light (LL: 100 μmol m–2 s–1) and high light (HL: 350 μmol m–2 s–1) intensities. We observed broad within- and between-species level variation in photosynthesis acclimation. Duckweeds grown under HL exhibited a lower growth rate, biomass, chlorophyll, and quantum yield of photosynthesis. In HL compared with LL, carotenoid de-epoxidation state and NPQ were higher, whilst PSII efficiency (φPSII) and Chl a : b ratios were unchanged. The dLL plants showed relatively stronger acclimation to HL compared with dHL plants, especially Lemna japonica accessions. These achieved faster growth in HL with concurrent higher carotenoid levels and NPQ, and less degradation of chlorophyll. We conclude that these data support local adaptation to the light environment in duckweed affecting acclimation in controlled conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals/-metalloids can result in serious human health hazards. Phytoremediation is green bioresource technology for the remediation of heavy metals and arsenic (As). However, there exists a knowledge gap and systematic information on duckweed-based metal phytoremediation in an eco-sustainable way. Therefore, the present review offers a critical discussion on the effective use of duckweeds (genera Landoltia and Lemna)-based phytoremediation to decontaminate metallic contaminants from wastewater. Phytoextraction and rhizofiltration were the major mechanism in 'duckweed bioreactors' that can be dependent on physico-chemical factors and plant-microbe interactions. The biotechnological advances such as gene manipulations can accelerate the duckweed-based phytoremediation process. High starch and protein contents of the metal-loaded duckweed biomass facilitate their use as feedstock in biorefinery. Biorefinery prospects such as bioenergy production, value-added products, and biofertilizers can augment the circular economy approach. Coupling duckweed-based phytoremediation with biorefinery can help achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and human well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we exposed a commonly used duckweed species—Lemna gibba L.—to twelve environmentally relevant metals and metalloids under laboratory conditions. The phytotoxic effects were evaluated in a multi-well-plate-based experimental setup by means of the chlorophyll fluorescence imaging method. This technique allowed the simultaneous measuring of the growth and photosynthetic parameters in the same samples. The inhibition of relative growth rates (based on frond number and area) and photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fo and Y(II)) were both calculated from the obtained chlorophyll fluorescence images. In the applied test system, growth-inhibition-based phytotoxicity endpoints proved to be more sensitive than chlorophyll-fluorescence-based ones. Frond area growth inhibition was the most responsive parameter with a median EC50 of 1.75 mg L−1, while Fv/Fo, the more responsive chlorophyll-fluorescence-based endpoint, resulted in a 5.34 mg L−1 median EC50 for the tested metals. Ag (EC50 0.005–1.27 mg L−1), Hg (EC50 0.24–4.87 mg L−1) and Cu (EC50 0.37–1.86 mg L−1) were the most toxic elements among the tested ones, while As(V) (EC50 47.15–132.18 mg L−1), Cr(III) (EC50 6.22–19.92 mg L−1), Se(VI) (EC50 1.73–10.39 mg L−1) and Zn (EC50 3.88–350.56 mg L−1) were the least toxic ones. The results highlighted that multi-well-plate-based duckweed phytotoxicity assays may reduce space, time and sample volume requirements compared to the standard duckweed growth inhibition tests. These benefits, however, come with lowered test sensitivity. Our multi-well-plate-based test setup resulted in considerably higher median EC50 (3.21 mg L−1) for frond-number-based growth inhibition than the 0.683 mg L−1 median EC50 derived from corresponding data from the literature with standardized Lemna-tests. Under strong acute phytotoxicity, frond parts with impaired photochemical functionality may become undetectable by chlorophyll fluorometers. Consequently, the plant parts that are still detectable display a virtually higher average photosynthetic performance, leading to an underestimation of phytotoxicity. Nevertheless, multi-well-plate-based duckweed phytotoxicity assays, combined with chlorophyll fluorescence imaging, offer definite advantages in the rapid screening of large sample series or multiple species/clones. As chlorophyll fluorescence images provide information both on the photochemical performance of the test plants and their morphology, a joint analysis of the two endpoint groups is recommended in multi-well-plate-based duckweed phytotoxicity assays to maximize the information gained from the tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic plants, including duckweed (Lemna minor), are increasingly utilized in sewage and wastewater treat-ment to improve pollution parameters and organic matter removal. This study aimed to investigate the impacts and efficacy of duckweed in secondary clarifier tanks in a conventional biological treatment facility. The per-formance of four secondary clarifiers with and without duckweed was compared based on water quality efflu-ent and settling characteristics. As per the experiment results, the secondary clarifier tank with duckweed demonstrated higher removal efficiency for chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD5), ammonium, phosphate, total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) - of 70%, 75%, 72%, 82%, 67%, and 96%, respectively, compared to the tank without duckweed. The concentration of suspended solids in the effluent and sludge volume index (SVI) values were similar in both settings. The research findings suggest that duckweed can contribute to the treatment efficiency of conventional biological treatment plants, thus re-ducing the need for tertiary nutrient removal. Additionally, the cost-effectiveness of treatment with duckweed and its reuse as fertilizer and animal fodder make it a valuable resource. The optimal temperature for duck-weed growth is approx. +26°C, and it is influenced by sunlight and temperature more than nutrient concentra-tions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Duckweed has been highlighted as an invaluable resource because of its abilities to remove nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater coupling with the production of high starch/protein-containing plant biomass. Duckweed recruits microbes and particularly forms a stable “core” bacterial microbiota, which greatly reduces the colonization efficiency of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB). In this study, natural duckweeds were enriched in a sterilized-partially treated wastewater effluent from a poultry farm. After 24 days of cultivation, the duckweed-associated bacteria (DAB) were isolated and evaluated for their plant growth-promoting (PGP) potentials by co-cultivation with axenic Spirodela polyrhiza. Ten species were found in more than one location and could be considered candidates for the stable “core” DAB. Among them, all isolates of Acinetobacter soli, Acidovorax kalamii, Brevundimonas vesicularis, Pseudomonas toyotomiensis, and Shinella curvata increased duckweed growth in Hoagland medium. The highest PGP ability was observed in Sh. curvata W12-8 (with EPG value of 208.72%), followed by Paracoccus marcusii W7-16 (171.31%), Novosphingobium subterraneum W5-13 (156.96%), and Ac. kalamii W7-18 (156.96%). However, the highest growth promotion in the wastewater was observed when co-cultured with W7-16, which was able to increase biomass dry weight and root length of duckweed by 3.17 and 2.26 folds, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Duckweeds are small, rapidly growing aquatic flowering plants. Due to their ability for biomass production at high rates they represent promising candidates for biofuel feedstocks. Duckweeds are also excellent model organisms because they can be maintained in well-defined liquid media, usually reproduce asexually, and because genomic resources are becoming increasingly available. To demonstrate the utility of duckweed for integrated metabolic studies, we examined the metabolic adaptation of growing Lemna gibba cultures to different nutritional conditions. Results To establish a framework for quantitative metabolic research in duckweeds we derived a central carbon metabolism network model of Lemna gibba based on its draft genome. Lemna gibba fronds were grown with nitrate or glutamine as nitrogen source. The two conditions were compared by quantification of growth kinetics, metabolite levels, transcript abundance, as well as by 13C-metabolic flux analysis. While growing with glutamine, the fronds grew 1.4 times faster and accumulated more protein and less cell wall components compared to plants grown on nitrate. Characterization of photomixotrophic growth by 13C-metabolic flux analysis showed that, under both metabolic growth conditions, the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle and the oxidative pentose-phosphate pathway are highly active, creating a futile cycle with net ATP consumption. Depending on the nitrogen source, substantial reorganization of fluxes around the tricarboxylic acid cycle took place, leading to differential formation of the biosynthetic precursors of the Asp and Gln families of proteinogenic amino acids. Despite the substantial reorganization of fluxes around the tricarboxylic acid cycle, flux changes could largely not be associated with changes in transcripts. Conclusions Through integrated analysis of growth rate, biomass composition, metabolite levels, and metabolic flux, we show that Lemna gibba is an excellent system for quantitative metabolic studies in plants. Our study showed that Lemna gibba adjusts to different nitrogen sources by reorganizing central metabolism. The observed disconnect between gene expression regulation and metabolism underscores the importance of metabolic flux analysis as a tool in such studies.

Plants of the duckweed family (Lemna, Spirodela) are actively used as expression platforms for the production of recombinant proteins due to a number of their advantages over other crops (small size, rapid vegetative reproduction, and high protein content in tissues). Rootless wolffia (Wolffia arrhiza (L.) Horkel ex Wimm) is a promising producer from the Lemnaceae family. Current Wolffia transformation protocols have an efficiency of approximately 0.36%. Based on transient expression, we have identified the most efficient Agrobacterium strain, EHA105, for the W. arrhiza transformation. An effective balance of growth regulators was selected for use at the first passage of cultivation and selection of transformed explants: 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 2.5 mg/L and 6-benzylaminopurine, 1.5 mg/L. The transformation efficiency of W. arrhiza was 0.54%, which is 1.5 times higher than in known protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shape-dependent effects of microplastics have been studied in the context of ingestion but have not been considered in other environmental processes. Therefore, we investigated how the shape of polyethylene microplastics (spheres, fragments, and films) affects interactions with plants, aging, and their adsorption properties. The shape had no effect on the growth rate and chlorophyll content of duckweed Lemna minor, but the fragments strongly adhered to the plant biomass and reduced the root length. The adsorption process of the model organic compound (methylene blue dye) was described by the same kinetic model for all shapes—the experimental data best fit the pseudo-second order model. However, twice as much methylene blue was adsorbed on films as on fragments and spheres. During environmental aging, most biofilm developed on films. The biofilm on spheres contained significantly less photosynthetic microorganisms, but twice as much extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) as on fragments and films. This suggests that the attachment of microorganisms to spherical particles is limited and therefore more intensive production of EPS is required for stable biofilm formation. From the results of this study, it is evident that the shape of microplastics significantly affects not only ecotoxicity but also other environmentally relevant processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rhizosphere represents a center of complex and dynamic interactions between plants and microbes, resulting in various positive effects on plant growth and development. However, less is known about the effects of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) on aquatic plants. In this study, we report the characterization of four Pseudomonas strains isolated from the rhizosphere of the common duckweed (Lemna minor) with IAA-degradation and -utilization ability. Our results confirm previous reports on the negative effect of IAA on aquatic plants, contrary to the effect on terrestrial plants. P. putida A3-104/5 demonstrated particularly beneficial traits, as it exhibited not only IAA-degrading and -producing activity but also a positive effect on the doubling time of duckweeds in the presence of IAA, positive chemotaxis in the presence of IAA, increased tolerance to oxidative stress in the presence of IAA and increased biofilm formation related to IAA. Similarly, P. gessardii C31-106/3 significantly shortened the doubling time of duckweeds in the presence of IAA, while having a neutral effect in the absence of IAA. These traits are important in the context of plant–bacteria interactions and highlight the role of IAA as a common metabolite in these interactions, especially in aquatic environments where plants are facing unique challenges compared to their terrestrial counterparts. We conclude that IAA-degrading and -producing strains presented in this study might regulate IAA effects on aquatic plants and confer evolutionary benefits under adverse conditions (e.g., under oxidative stress, excess of IAA or nutrient scarcity). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Duckweed species (Lemnaceae) are suitable for remediation and valorization of agri‐feed industry wastewaters and therefore can contribute to a more sustainable, circular economy where waste is a resource. Industrial applications will, however, require space efficient cultivation methods that are not affected by prevailing weather conditions. Here, the development and operation of a multi‐tiered duckweed bioreactor is described. The developed prototype bioreactor depicted in this paper is composed of four cultivation layers (1 m2 each) with integrated LED lighting (generating up to 150 μmol m−2 s−1), a system of pumps and valves to manage the recirculatory flow (2.5 L min−1) of wastewater, and an automatic harvesting system. Using a nutrient poor medium, good growth of the duckweed species Lemna minor was achieved in the bioreactor, and this was matched by strong nutrient depletion from the medium, especially for phosphorus (45‐mg total phosphorus [TP] removed per m−2 day−1). A fully automatic harvesting arm reliably captured similar amounts of duckweed biomass across multiple harvesting cycles, revealing a future scenario whereby labor and interventions by human operators are minimized. Further developments to advance the system towards fully automated operation will include, for example, the use of specific nutrient sensors to monitor and control medium composition. It is envisaged that multi‐tiered, indoor bioreactors can be employed in the agri‐feed industry where wastewaters are, in many cases, continuously generated throughout the year and need remediating immediately to avoid costly storage. Given the extensive use of automation technology in conventional wastewater treatment plants, multi‐tiered duckweed bioreactors can be realistically integrated within the operating environment of such treatment plants. Practitioner Points: Duckweed is suitable for remediation and valorization of agri‐feed wastewater.Industrial duckweed applications require space efficient cultivation methods.Development and operation of a multi‐tiered duckweed bioreactor is detailed.Flow dynamics and automatic harvesting in the bioreactor are optimized.It is concluded that a multi‐tiered bioreactor can be used in industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biosensors based on an oxygen electrode, a mediator electrode, and a mediator microbial biofuel cell (MFC) using the bacteria Gluconobacter oxydans B-1280 were formed and tested to determine the integral toxicity. G. oxydans bacteria exhibited high sensitivity to the toxic effects of phenol, 2,4-dinitrophenol, salicylic and trichloroacetic acid, and a number of heavy metal ions. The system "G. oxydans bacteria–ferrocene–graphite-paste electrode" was superior in sensitivity to biosensors formed using an oxygen electrode and MFC, in particular regarding heavy metal ions (EC50 of Cr3+, Mn2+, and Cd2+ was 0.8 mg/dm3, 0.3 mg/dm3 and 1.6 mg/dm3, respectively). It was determined that the period of stable functioning of electrochemical systems during measurements was reduced by half (from 30 to 15 days) due to changes in the enzyme system of microbial cells when exposed to toxicants. Samples of the products made from polymeric materials were analyzed using developed biosensor systems and standard biotesting methods based on inhibiting the growth of duckweed Lemna minor, reducing the motility of bull sperm, and quenching the luminescence of the commercial test system "Ecolum". The developed bioelectrocatalytic systems were comparable in sensitivity to commercial biosensors, which made it possible to correlate the results and identify, by all methods, a highly toxic sample containing diphenylmethane-4,4′-diisocyanate according to GC-MS data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic weeds have exceptionally high reproduction rates, are rich in cellulose and hemicellulose, and contain a negligible amount of lignin, making them an ideal crop for the next generation of biofuels. Previously reported studies proposed that water hyacinth, water lettuce, common duckweeds, and water spinach can be managed or utilized using different advanced techniques; from them, anaerobic digestion is one of the feasible and cost-effective techniques to manage these biowastes. The present study was carried out to investigate the potential of utilizing four common aquatic weed species (water hyacinth, water lettuce, common duckweeds, and water spinach) as substrates for anaerobic digestion in order to produce biogas for use in biofuels. The high reproduction rates and high cellulose and hemicellulose content, coupled with low lignin content, of these aquatic weeds make them ideal candidates for this purpose. The study evaluated the feasibility of using anaerobic digestion as a management technique for these aquatic weeds, which are often considered invasive and difficult to control. The results from various studies indicate that these aquatic weeds are productive feedstock options for anaerobic digestion, yielding a high biogas output. Among the aquatic weeds studied, water hyacinth, water lettuce, and common duckweeds exhibit higher methane production compared to water spinach. The study provides an overview of the characteristics and management strategies of these aquatic weeds in relation to biogas production, with possible future developments in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand how microbiota influence plant populations in nature, it is important to examine the biogeographic distribution of plant-associated microbiomes and the underlying mechanisms. However, we currently lack a fundamental understanding of the biogeography of plant microbiomes across populations and the environmental and host genetic factors that shape their distribution. Leveraging the broad distribution and extensive genetic variation in duckweeds (the Lemna species complex), we identified key factors that governed plant microbiome diversity and compositional variation geographically. In line with the microbial biogeography of free-living microbiomes, we observed higher bacterial richness in temperate regions relative to lower latitudes in duckweed microbiomes (with 10% higher in temperate populations). Our analyses revealed that higher temperature and sodium concentration in aquatic environments showed a negative impact on duckweed bacterial richness, whereas temperature, precipitation, pH, and concentrations of phosphorus and calcium, along with duckweed genetic variation, influenced the biogeographic variation of duckweed bacterial community composition. Analyses of plant microbiome assembly processes further revealed that niche-based selection played an important role (26%) in driving the biogeographic variation of duckweed bacterial communities, alongside the contributions of dispersal limitation (33%) and drift (39%). These findings add significantly to our understanding of host-associated microbial biogeography and provide important insights for predicting plant microbiome vulnerability and resilience under changing climates and intensifying anthropogenic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The toxicity of six potassium inorganic salts: potassium carbonate (K2CO3), potassium hydrogen carbonate (KHCO3), potassium sulfate (K2SO4), dipotassium hydrogen orthophosphate (K2HPO4), monopotassium phosphate (KH2PO4) and potassium aluminum sulfate (KAl(SO4)2.12H2O) towards duckweed (Lemna minor L.) was studied. The results showed that all tested chemicals were with low toxicity but similar salts as potassium carbonate and potassium hydrogen carbonate or dipotassium hydrogen orthophosphate and monopotassium phosphate can express different toxic action towards the tested object. Potassium aluminum sulfate, was toxic to duckweed at very narrow ranges: up to 0.8 % concentration but the salt did not cause any damage to the plants. At 1 % concentration, the first phytotoxic symptoms appeared and at 1.44% concentration LC50 was established and LC90 was reached at concentration of 1.65%. The most toxic chemical was potassium carbonate due to the higher pH of its solutions, but KH2PO4 was found to be more toxic than K2HPO4 although its solutions were with neutral pH, while a pH of solution of K2HPO4 over 1 % concentration was slightly alkaline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two aquatic floating plants of Lemnaceae species were selected, viz., Lemna gibba and Lemna minor to examine their potential to bioremediate toxic metals from polluted water of studied lake. Toxic metals chosen were cadmium, cobalt, copper, nickel, lead and zinc monitored in water, sediment and roots and leaves of the abovesaid plants. The quantity of toxic metals in water, sediment and the tissues of plants were exploited to evaluate the bioconcentration factor, transfer factor value and enrichment coefficient value. The strength and dangerous condition noted in the examined aquatic plants, the six toxic metals were arranged in the order of Zn > Pb > Cd > Cu > Ni > Co. Bioconcentration factor value lies 1.47 to 8.97 for Lemna gibba and 1.38 to 8.67 for Lemna minor. Thus, both these plants showed their broad range of tolerance to all the evaluated metals, which recommends the application of these plants for industrial scale of heavy metal removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Duckweeds are small, rapidly growing aquatic flowering plants. Due to their ability for biomass production at high rates they represent promising candidates for biofuel feedstocks. Duckweeds are also excellent model organisms because they can be maintained in well-defined liquid media, usually reproduce asexually, and because genomic resources are becoming increasingly available. To demonstrate the utility of duckweed for integrated metabolic studies, we examined the metabolic adaptation of growing Lemna gibba cultures to different nutritional conditions. Results: To establish a framework for quantitative metabolic research in duckweeds we derived a central carbon metabolism network model of Lemna gibba based on its draft genome. Lemna gibba fronds were grown with nitrate or glutamine as nitrogen source. The two conditions were compared by quantification of growth kinetics, metabolite levels, transcript abundance, as well as by 13C-metabolic flux analysis. While growing with glutamine, the fronds grew 1.4 times faster and accumulated more protein and less cell wall components compared to plants grown on nitrate. Characterization of photomixotrophic growth by 13C-metabolic flux analysis showed that, under both metabolic growth conditions, the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle and the oxidative pentose-phosphate pathway are highly active, creating a futile cycle with net ATP consumption. Depending on the nitrogen source, substantial reorganization of fluxes around the tricarboxylic acid cycle took place, leading to differential formation of the biosynthetic precursors of the Asp and Gln families of proteinogenic amino acids. Despite the substantial reorganization of fluxes around the tricarboxylic acid cycle, flux changes could largely not be associated with changes in transcripts. Conclusions: Through integrated analysis of growth rate, biomass composition, metabolite levels, and metabolic flux, we show that Lemna gibba is an excellent system for quantitative metabolic studies in plants. Our study showed that Lemna gibba adjusts to different nitrogen sources by reorganizing central metabolism. The observed disconnect between gene expression regulation and metabolism underscores the importance of metabolic flux analysis as a tool in such studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high cost of grain-based concentrates and crop residues are increasingly affecting profitable ruminant farming in Nigeria because of inadequate green forage all year round. Duckweeds are aquatic plants which constitute a nuisance in an earthen fish pond. However, information about their forage value is limited. Hence, this study was conducted to evaluate the nutritive value, secondary metabolites and in vitro fermentation characteristics of duckweed from earthen fish ponds. Duckweed represented as T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 from different locations were collected, dried and analysed for chemical composition and in vitro gas production using buffered rumen fluid from goats. Cumulative gas production was measured at 3 to 48 hours of incubation periods. Results indicated that crude protein content was similar, while NDF, ADF and ADL were significantly different, with mean values of 54.11 %, 29.53 % and 11.57 %, respectively. Saponin content (0.407 − 0.468 %) was higher than alkaloids (0.312 − 0.433 %) and total phenols (0.158 − 0.175 %). Calcium and phosphorus varied from 0.09 to 0.54 % and 0.01 to 1.05 %, respectively. Lead and cadmium ranged from 0.01 to 0.17 mg.kg-1 and 0.01 to 0.03 mg.kg-1, respectively. Gas from the insoluble fraction (b), potential gas (a+b), the rate (c) and volume (Y) of gas produced were comparable. Cumulative gas produced increased as hours of incubation progressed, with gas volumes higher (3.93 mL/200 g DM) at 48 hr and least (1.07 mL/200 g DM) at 12 hr post-incubations. Metabolizable energy was similar and ranged from 3.13 to 3.68 MJ/Kg DM. Organic matter digestibility was higher (40.58 %) for T1 and comparable with T5 (36.76 %). Short-chain fatty acids (ranged = 0.02 − 0.05 µmol/200 mg DM) were comparable. In vitro dry matter degradability (ranged = 24.00 to 39.67 %) was significantly different. In conclusion, duckweed from earthen fish ponds is fairly degradable in vitro, and the nutrient contents elucidate its forage value for ruminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic plants, just like terrestrial plants, are exposed to oxidative stress. However, their responses are still under-researched. In this study, we examined the physiological and antioxidative responses of an aquatic plant, duckweed (Lemna minor L.), to four indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)-degrading and -producing Pseudomonas bacteria (Pseudomonas oryzihabitans D1-104/3, P. putida A3-104/5, P. gessardii C31-106/3 and P. yamanorum C44-104/1) and/or a supraphysiological level of IAA (10 mg L−1). Growth characteristics, total photosynthetic pigment content, histochemical localization of reactive oxygen species and antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD, CAT and POX) were evaluated at two time points, after 3 and 7 days of co-cultivation. Superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide were produced and accumulated mainly in the roots, daughter fronds and veins of duckweeds. Duckweeds’ responses depended on the strain of Pseudomonas, time and exogenous IAA. Co-cultivation of duckweed with bacteria has positive or neutral effects. Exogenous application of IAA had a negative or neutral effect on enzyme activity and other parameters. Co-cultivation with P. gessardii C31-106/3 showed plant-growth-promoting effects on duckweed: increased biomass production, modulation of duckweeds’ antioxidant enzymatic activity and reduction in hydrogen peroxide content. This study widens our knowledge of aquatic plants and their response to oxidative stress, supports the hypothesis that plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) induce tolerable levels of oxidative stress in plants and introduces a new PGPB strain, P. gessardii C31-106/3.

With continuous global population growth, the challenges of expanding demand for sufficient and nutritious foods need to be addressed by exploring new and supplemental agricultural and food systems. Duckweed demonstrates a great potential for human food with many advantages. This review covers recent research on duckweed regarding plant cultivation, nutritional composition and quality, product development, and related safety issues and regulations for human food uses. Challenges and future research needs are discussed. Species and cultivation conditions have a significant effect on chemical and nutritional compositions of duckweed. Certain duckweed species contain high protein content (up to 45%) that provides all the essential amino acids meeting FAO references and can support human body growth and development. Duckweed also contains versatile carbohydrates including starch, cellulose, trace hemicellulose, and pectin that deliver functional properties and nutrients. In addition, duckweed is rich in minerals, vitamins, and phytochemicals, especially lutein and β-carotene which are positively associated with reduced risk of many chronic diseases. Duckweed could be used either in conventional cereal-based foods by partial substitution of wheat flour or for extraction of proteins and phytochemicals as functional ingredients. Studies are warranted for developing a duckweed supply chain and establishing duckweed as a novel staple food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) is projected to be twice as high as the pre-industrial level by 2050. This review briefly highlights key responses of terrestrial plants to elevated CO2 and compares these with the responses of aquatic floating plants of the family Lemnaceae (duckweeds). Duckweeds are efficient at removing CO2 from the atmosphere, which we discuss in the context of their exceptionally high growth rates and capacity for starch storage in green tissue. In contrast to cultivation of terrestrial crops, duckweeds do not contribute to CO2 release from soils. We briefly review how this potential for contributions to stabilizing atmospheric CO2 levels is paired with multiple additional applications and services of duckweeds. These additional roles include wastewater phytoremediation, feedstock for biofuel production, and superior nutritional quality (for humans and livestock), while requiring minimal space and input of light and fertilizer. We, furthermore, elaborate on other environmental factors, such as nutrient availability, light supply, and the presence of a microbiome, that impact the response of duckweed to elevated CO2. Under a combination of elevated CO2 with low nutrient availability and moderate light supply, duckweeds' microbiome helps maintain CO2 sequestration and relative growth rate. When incident light intensity increases (in the presence of elevated CO2), the microbiome minimizes negative feedback on photosynthesis from increased sugar accumulation. In addition, duckweed shows a clear propensity for absorption of ammonium over nitrate, accepting ammonium from their endogenous N2-fixing Rhizobium symbionts, and production of large amounts of vegetative storage protein. Finally, cultivation of duckweed could be further optimized using hydroponic vertical farms where nutrients and water are recirculated, saving both resources, space, and energy to produce high-value products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The toxicity of two pesticides, diazinon (DAZ) and atrazine (ATR), before and after montmorillonite-catalyzed ozonation was comparatively investigated on the duckweed Lemna minor. The results allowed demonstrating the role of clay-containing media in the evolution in time of pesticide negative impact on L. minor plants. Pesticides conversion exceeded 94% after 30 min of ozonation in the presence of both Na+ and Fe2+ exchanged montmorillonites. Toxicity testing using L. minor permitted us to evaluate the change in pesticide ecotoxicity. The plant growth inhibition involved excessive oxidative stress depending on the pesticide concentration, molecular structure, and degradation degree. Pesticide adsorption and/or conversion by ozonation on clay surfaces significantly reduced the toxicity towards L. minor plants, more particularly in the presence of Fe(II)-exchanged montmorillonite. The results showed a strong correlation between the pesticide toxicity towards L. minor and the level of reactive oxygen species, which was found to depend on the catalytic activity of the clay minerals, pesticide exposure time to ozone, and formation of harmful derivatives. These findings open promising prospects for developing a method to monitor pesticide ecotoxicity according to clay-containing host-media and exposure time to ambient factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of chlorophyll fluorescence analysis in detecting the effects of mercury (Hg) treatment in duckweed species Lemna minor. The results showed that Hg treatment (ranging from 0.0 to 0.4 µM) significantly impacted the plant's photosynthetic ability, with a decrease in variable chlorophyll fluorescence, energy fluxes, density of reaction centers, and performance index. Complete inhibition of electron transport was observed in plants treated with high Hg concentrations, and the quantum yield of primary photochemistry and the ratio of dissipated energy to absorption both decreased with increasing Hg concentrations. Performance Index (PI) was significantly affected by the Hg concentrations, reaching zero in plants treated with the highest Hg concentration. Overall, JIP analysis was found to be an effective tool for detecting deleterious effects of Hg in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A spontaneous mutant of the duckweed Lemna gibba clone no. 7796 (known as strain G3, WT) was discovered. In this mutant clone, L. gibba clone no. 9602 (mt), the morphological parameters (frond length, frond width, root length, root diameter) indicated an enlarged size. A change in the frond shape was indicated by the decreased frond length/width ratio, which could have taxonomic consequences. Several different cell types in both the frond and the root were also enlarged. Flow cytometric measurements disclosed the genome size of the WT as 557 Mbp/1C and that of the mt strain as 1153 Mbp/1C. This represents the results of polyploidisation of a diploid clone to a tetraploid one. The mutant clone flowered under the influence of long day-treatment in half-strength Hutner's medium in striking contrast to the diploid WT. Low concentration of salicylic acid (<1 µM) induced flowering in the tetraploid mutant but not in the diploid plants. The transcript levels of nuclear-encoded genes of the photosynthetic apparatus (CAB, RBCS) showed higher abundance in light and less dramatic decline in darkness in the mt than in WT, while this was not the case with plastid-encoded genes (RBCL, PSAA, PSBA, PSBC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lemnaceae are small freshwater plants with extraordinary high growth rates. We aimed to test whether this correlates with a more efficient photosynthesis, the primary energy source for growth. To this end, we compared photosynthesis properties of the duckweed Lemna minor and the terrestrial model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Chlorophyll fluorescence analyses revealed high similarity in principle photosynthesis characteristics; however, Lemna exhibited a more effective light energy transfer into photochemistry and more stable photosynthesis parameters especially under high light intensities. Western immunoblot analyses of representative photosynthesis proteins suggested potential post-translational modifications in Lemna proteins that are possibly connected to this. Phospho-threonine phosphorylation patterns of thylakoid membrane proteins displayed a few differences between the two species. However, phosphorylation-dependent processes in Lemna such as photosystem II antenna association and the recovery from high-light-induced photoinhibition were not different from responses known from terrestrial plants. We thus hypothesize that molecular differences in Lemna photosynthesis proteins are associated with yet unidentified mechanisms that improve photosynthesis and growth efficiencies. We also developed a high-magnification video imaging approach for Lemna multiplication which is useful to assess the impact of external factors on Lemna photosynthesis and growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to identify new alternative raw materials as sources of protein for fish feed, the apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) of the protein and dry matter of Lemna minor duckweed included in a diet for cachama negra Colossoma macropomum and the effects of the productive performance in the fry stage, calculating its weight. To estimate the coefficients, the indirect method was used with the inert marker chromic oxide (Cr2O3), collecting the feces by Siphoning. 136 fingerlings (average weight 0.4 g) were used, which were randomly distributed in the aquariums (experimental units) with a volume of 27 liters, in groups of 17 fingerlings/aquarium. Two experimental diets were evaluated: the reference diet (T1) composed of 42% fishmeal, 14% cassava, 43% soybean and 1.0% Cr2O3, and the test diet (T2), composed of 71% fishmeal. of reference diet, 1.0% Cr2O3 and 28% of the test ingredient (duckweed flour). Four replicates per diet were evaluated. Feces were collected and immediately dried and stored at 60°C and –12°C, respectively, until analyzed for proximal composition and Cr2O3 levels. The experimental phase lasted 30 days, the results of weights per replicate in the biometrics were evaluated through a descriptive statistical analysis. No statistical differences (p>0.05) were found by biometry between the treatments, even so, higher productive yields were found with T2. Survival was T1=94.12%, and T2=100%. The CDA for dry matter and protein of the raw material were 92.57±3.60 and 77.97±0.91, respectively. The inclusion of this meal in diets for cachama fingerlings is feasible in terms of growth, weight gain and reduction of feed costs, in addition, the high ADC value shows that cachama negra can digest duckweed protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the first ever data on the contents of 28 elements in aquatic plants of the duckweed family (Lemnaceae) in the territory of 65 population centers of the Russian Federation. Data are presented on the elemental composition of duckweed in the urbanized regions of Russia and on the spatial distribution of the studied elements and their calculated concentration coefficients relative to the estimated mean values in the macrophytes. The elemental composition of duckweed is shown to provide significant information about the current ecological and geochemical situation in the study area and can serve as an unbiased indicator of the impact of anthropogenic and natural factors on the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Duckweeds (Lemnaceae) are small, simply constructed aquatic higher plants that grow on or just below the surface of quiet waters. They consist primarily of leaf-like assimilatory organs, or fronds, that reproduce mainly by vegetative replication. Despite their diminutive size and inornate habit, duckweeds have been able to colonize and maintain themselves in almost all of the world's climate zones. They are thereby subject to multiple adverse influences during the growing season, such as high temperatures, extremes of light intensity and pH, nutrient shortage, damage by microorganisms and herbivores, the presence of harmful substances in the water, and competition from other aquatic plants, and they must also be able to withstand winter cold and drought that can be lethal to the fronds. This review discusses the means by which duckweeds come to grips with these adverse influences to ensure their survival. Important duckweed attributes in this regard are a pronounced potential for rapid growth and frond replication, a juvenile developmental status facilitating adventitious organ formation, and clonal diversity. Duckweeds have specific features at their disposal for coping with particular environmental difficulties and can also cooperate with other organisms of their surroundings to improve their survival chances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 6th International Conference on Duckweed Research and Applications (6th ICDRA) was organized at the Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) located in Gatersleben, Germany, from 29 May to 1 June 2022. The growing community of duckweed research and application specialists was noted with participants from 21 different countries including an increased share of newly integrated young researchers. The four-day conference focused on diverse aspects of basic and applied research together with practical applications of these tiny aquatic plants that could have an enormous potential for biomass production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability of plants to respond to environmental fluctuations is supported by acclimatory adjustments in plant form and function that may require several days and development of a new leaf. We review adjustments in photosynthetic, photoprotective, and foliar vascular capacity in response to variation in light and temperature in terrestrial plants. The requirement for extensive acclimation to these environmental conditions in terrestrial plants is contrasted with an apparent lesser need for acclimation to different light environments, including rapid light fluctuations, in floating aquatic plants for the duckweed Lemna minor. Relevant features of L. minor include unusually high growth rates and photosynthetic capacities coupled with the ability to produce high levels of photoprotective xanthophylls across a wide range of growth light environments without compromising photosynthetic efficiency. These features also allow L. minor to maximize productivity and avoid problems during an abrupt experimental transfer of low-light-grown plants to high light. The contrasting responses of land plants and floating aquatic plants to the light environment further emphasize the need of land plants to, e.g., experience light fluctuations in their growth environment before they induce acclimatory adjustments that allow them to take full advantage of natural settings with such fluctuations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of aquaculture, wastewater treatment and diseases have been paid more and more attention. The question of how to improve the immunity of aquatic species, as well as treat aquaculture wastewater, has become an urgent problem. In this study, duckweed with a high protein content (37.4%) (Lemna turionifera 5511) has been employed as a feedstock for aquatic wastewater treatment and the production of antimicrobial peptides. Penaeidins 3a (Pen3a), from Litopenaeus vannamei, were expressed under the control of CaMV-35S promoter in duckweed. Bacteriostatic testing using the Pen3a duckweed extract showed its antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Transcriptome analysis of wild type (WT) duckweed and Pen3a duckweed showed different results, and the protein metabolic process was the most up-regulated by differential expression genes (DEGs). In Pen3a transgenic duckweed, the expression of sphingolipid metabolism and phagocytosis process-related genes have been significantly up-regulated. Quantitative proteomics suggested a remarkable difference in protein enrichment in the metabolic pathway. Pen3a duckweed decreased the bacterial number, and effectively inhibited the growth of Nitrospirae. Additionally, Pen3a duckweed displayed better growth in the lake. The study showed the nutritional and antibacterial value of duckweed as an animal feed ingredient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels can impact plant photosynthesis and productivity and threaten food security, especially when combined with additional environmental stressors. This study addresses the effects of elevated CO2 in combination with low nutrient supply on Lemna minor (common duckweed). We quantified plant growth rate and nutritional quality (protein content) and evaluated whether any adverse effects of elevated CO2, low nutrients, or the combination of the two could be mitigated by plant-microbe interaction. Plants were grown under controlled conditions and were either uninoculated or inoculated with microorganisms from a local pond that supported L. minor populations. Under low nutrients in combination with high CO2, growth (plant area expansion rate) decreased and biomass accumulation increased, albeit with lower nutritional quality (lower percentage of protein per plant biomass). Inoculation with plant-associated microorganisms restored area expansion rate and further stimulated biomass accumulation while supporting a high protein-to-biomass ratio and, thus, a high nutritional quality. These findings indicate that plant-microbe interaction can support a higher nutritional quality of plant biomass under elevated atmospheric CO2 levels, an important finding for both human and non-human consumers during a time of rapid environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc (Zn) is a metal of potential concern for a uranium mine whose receiving waters are in the World‐Heritage listed Kakadu National Park in northern Australia. The chronic toxicity of Zn was assessed using seven tropical species in extremely soft freshwater from a creek upstream of the mine. Sensitivity to Zn was as follows (most sensitive to least sensitive based on 10% effect concentrations [EC10s]): mussel Velesunio angasi > gastropod Amerianna cumingi > fish Mogurnda mogurnda > cladoceran Moinodaphnia macleayi > green hydra Hydra viridissima > green alga Chlorella sp. > duckweed Lemna aequinoctialis, with EC10s (<0.45 µm filtered fraction) ranging from 21 to 320 µg/L Zn and EC50s ranging from 52 to 1867 µg/L Zn. These data were used to inform the risk assessment for the rehabilitation of the mine‐site and contribute to the global Zn dataset. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:679–683. © 2023 Commonwealth of Australia. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry © 2023 SETAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread occurrence of microplastics (MPs) has resulted in their interaction with biological processes. Thus, there is a great concern about the potential toxicity of MPs on animal and plant cells and on the possibility that MPs reach humans through the food web. In order to shed light on both issues, laboratory assays were performed for evaluating the effects of polyethylene (PE) microparticles on the aquatic plant Spirodela polyrhiza (L.) Schleid. and the gammarid Echinogammarus veneris (Heller, 1865). Moreover, a stock of MP-treated Spirodela plants was used to feed gammarid individuals, and the presence of MP particles in their digestive tracts was analyzed. Results evidenced the lack of toxic effects of MPs on plants, evaluated at growth and physiological level by biometric parameters, pigment content, and photosynthetic performance estimated by chlorophyll fluorescence imaging through the ETPT (EcoTox Photosystem Tool). Only a slight reduction in pigment-related indices in MP-treated plants was observed. A remarkable genotoxic effect was instead highlighted by Comet assay in the hemocytes of gammarid individuals exposed to MPs, with three times more DNA damage (expressed as Tail Moment) in MP-treated individuals compared to control ones. Finally, the gut content of the gammarids fed with MP-treated plants revealed the presence of 7.6 MP particles/individual, highlighting the occurrence of trophic transfer of MPs among freshwater ecosystem organisms. Novel indications about the potential impact of the PE microparticles in the aquatic compartment are provided. Notably, the transfer of MP particles between primary producer and primary consumer organisms of the freshwater trophic chain and the genotoxic effects associated with the ingestion of such particles by gammarids are issues of concern for the aquatic ecosystem and the food web leading to the human diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants of the Lemnaceae family are becoming increasingly popular among researchers. The goal of the study was to characterize trends in scientific research related to the use of aquatic plants from the Lemnaceae family for energy purposes, especially for the production of biogas, bioethanol, and other biofuels. These plants fit perfectly into the concept of a circular economy. This study performed a bibliometric and in-depth content analysis to review the use of plants from the Lemnaceae family for biofuel production. A set of 666 articles published from 2008 to 2022 was identified from the Scopus and Web of Science databases. Different analytical scientometric tools (topic mapping and overlay visualization networks) were used to analyze 141 articles; the most influential countries, institutions, authors, journals, and articles were identified. Depth content analysis reveals five research areas: (i) development of duckweed growth and starch accumulation; (ii) development of the pretreatment techniques; (iii) development of ethanol fermentation; (iv) hydrothermal liquefaction and bio-oil production; and (v) anaerobic digestion and biogas production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic microflora associated within, and in the surrounding aquatic environment, has been found to be responsible for the functional properties of many aquatic plants. The aim of the current work was to evaluate the effectiveness of Lemnaceae-based wastewater treatment system under tropical conditions and investigate the changes in the aquatic microflora upon plant growth. A biological wastewater treatment system was designed and investigated using mixed Lemnaceae culture comprising Lemna minor and Spirodela polyrhiza in a batch mode. A significant reduction in total solids (31.8%), biochemical oxygen demand (93.5%), and chemical oxygen demand (73.2%) was observed after seven days of duckweed growth using a low inoculum. A preliminary study on the change in the microbial population diversity and functionality, in the wastewater before and after treatment, revealed an increase in the denitrifying microflora in wastewater post-Lemnaceae treatment. Dominance of 10 bacterial phyla, contributing for 98.3% of the total bacterial communities, was recorded, and ~ 50.6% loss of diversity post-treatment of wastewater was revealed by the Shannon Index. Among 16 bacterial families showing relative abundance of ≥ 1% in untreated wastewater, Methylobacteriaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, Brucellaceae, Rhodobacteraceae, and Acetobacteraceae prevailed in the water post-treatment by duckweeds. This is a novel work done on the dynamics of aquatic microflora associated with Lemnaceae under tropical Indian conditions. It confirms the application of Lemnaceae-based wastewater treatment system as effective biofilter and calls for further studies on the active involvement of the endophytic and aquatic microflora in the functions of these plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tiny aquatic plants from the Lemnaceae family, commonly known as duckweeds, are often regarded as detrimental to the environment because of their ability to quickly populate and cover the surfaces of bodies of water. Due to their rapid vegetative propagation, duckweeds have one of the fastest growth rates among flowering plants and can accumulate large amounts of biomass in relatively short time periods. Due to the high yield of valuable biomass and ease of harvest, duckweeds can be used as feedstock for biofuels, animal feed, and other applications. Thanks to their efficient absorption of nitrogen- and phosphate-containing pollutants, duckweeds play an important role in the restorative ecology of water reservoirs. Moreover, compared to other species, duckweed species and ecotypes demonstrate exceptionally high adaptivity to a variety of environmental factors; indeed, duckweeds remove and convert many contaminants, such as nitrogen, into plant biomass. The global distribution of duckweeds and their tolerance of ammonia, heavy metals, other pollutants, and stresses are the major factors highlighting their potential for use in purifying agricultural, municipal, and some industrial wastewater. In summary, duckweeds are a powerful tool for bioremediation that can reduce anthropogenic pollution in aquatic ecosystems and prevent water eutrophication in a simple, inexpensive ecologically friendly way. Here we review the potential for using duckweeds in phytoremediation of several major water pollutants: mineral nitrogen and phosphorus, various organic chemicals, and heavy metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]