What Is Duckweed Good For?

Duckweed can overtake an entire pond.

Duckweed is a free-floating water plant that provides habitat for micro-invertebrates, such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa and fungi. Sometimes, it aggressively invades quiet waters and depletes the oxygen that is vital to the microorganisms that live there. Duckweed is recognizable by its light green color. It has one to three fronds, or thalluses, that have a single protruding root. These fronds bear seeds and are usually no longer than 1/8 inch.

Habitat

Ponds are perfect places for duckweed colonies to grow uncontrolled. If left undisturbed, duckweed will completely cover the pond, creating a blanket stranglehold on the surface of the water. It will suffocate and kill submerged plants by blocking all their sunlight. Duckweed feeds on the mineral and organic nutrients provided by calm, undisturbed water. Water fowl often feed on duckweed and transport it to other bodies of water.

Food

Duckweed is a food source for fish, waterfowl and small creatures. It contains protein, fat, nitrogen, phosphorous, trace minerals and amino acids. It is intentionally grown and harvested for use as an animal feed supplement. Commercial cultivation of duckweed occurs to produce it as a food source for fish and poultry farms, and to feed livestock, such as pigs. Humans eat duckweed too; it is particularly popular in Thailand.

Water Purification

Duckweed's ability to remove large amounts of phosphate and nitrogen makes it a contender in the science of water treatment of agricultural run-off and sewage. It has great potential to convert waste water into pure water. It is still unknown whether duckweed can effectively remove toxins and heavy metals from waste water. Duckweed also controls algae growth by shutting out sunlight and absorbing the nutrients, thereby reducing algae's ruination of the food source for aquatic life.

Farming

Duckweed farming is a legitimate business that requires comprehensive management to provide the highest level of production. Constant scrutiny and evaluation of the crop are needed to guarantee optimal health for the plant. Harvesting and use of the fresh biomass must be used daily or dried for later use. With ongoing research into potential uses for duckweed, there is considerable opportunity for great profit from duckweed farming.

Mosquito Control

In tropical areas, where mosquito populations proliferate, duckweed farming may have great benefits. Increasing evidence suggests that duckweed may have properties that act as an insecticidal agent on mosquito larvae. As a result, the propagation of the plant in tropical climates may have enough of an impact to control the mosquito population and reduce the number of cases of malaria.

References

• Aqua Plants
• Aqua Culture
• FAO.org
• Naturia