• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.133-137
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• 1996

Duckweed, an aquatic plant of the family Lemnaceae, is a rich source of protein and also contains cell wall materials. Spirodela, Lemna and Wolffia, the most available species of duckweeds were evaluated in terms of their chemical composition, the rate and extent of digestion of their dry matter(DM) and crude protein(CP) in the rumen and also their acceptability to the cattle. The three species contained CP of 284, 399 and $299g{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ DM, respectively; NDF of 471, 574 and $476g{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ DM, respectively; ADF of 215, 203 and $227g{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ DM, respectively. The rumen digestibilities of DM of the three species for 24 h were 410, 570 and $731g{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ DM, respectively and of CP were 528, 740 and $778g{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ DM, respectively. The rates of digestion of DM of the three duckweeds were 2.22, 3.63 and $5.73%h^{-1}$, respectively and of CP were 5.14, 4.22 and $6.05%h^{-1}$, respectively. Similarly, the extent of digestion of DM were 853, 723 and $926g{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ DM, respectively and of CP were 801, 874 and $943g{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ DM, respectively. Mixed duckweeds as a component of a concentrate mixture were eaten by the cattle at the rate of 10% of their live weights. It may be concluded that the dry matter and crude protein of the available duckweeds wee highly degradable in the rumen and may be fed to cattle mixing with concentrates. For the effective utilization of duck weeds as cattle feed their effect on the rumen digestion kinetics of a roughage diet need to be studied carefully.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 1986

The distribution of giant duckweed (Spirodela polyrrhiza) and small duckweed (Lemna aequinoctialis) was investigated at lead-zinc mine area and the limiting factors for their distribution were studied by laboratory experiments. The metal investigated of water affected on the growth of giant duckweed and small duckweed. Under filed conditions, both giant duckweed and small duckweed did not persist at more acidic conditions than pH 4.8 or at conditions more than 0.30 ppm of Cd concentration. Giant duckweeds were intolerable, under conditiions with less than 0.30 ppm of Cd and above than 0.07ppm of Zn, but small duckweeds were tolerable under conditions of more than 0.07 ppm of Zn concentration. However, neither can live above 7.50ppm of Zn concentration. These field observations corresponded with the results of the laboratory experiments.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.156-164
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• 2021

Spirodela polyrhiza, from the Lemnaceae family, are small aquatic plants that offer an alternative plant-based system for the expression of recombinant proteins. However, no turion transformation protocol has been established in this species. In this study, we exploited a pB7YWG2 vector harboring the eYFP gene that encodes enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (eYFP), which has been extensively used as a reporter and marker to visualize recombinant protein localization in plants. We adopted Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated turion transformation via vacuum infiltration to deliver the eYFP gene to turions, special vegetative forms produced by duckweeds to endure harsh conditions. Transgenic turions regenerated several duckweed fronds that exhibited yellow fluorescent emissions under a fluorescence microscope. Western blotting verified the expression of the eYFP protein. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of an efficient protocol for generating transgenic S. polyrhiza expressing eYFP via Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated turion transformation. The ability of turions to withstand harsh conditions increases the portability and versatility of transgenic duckweeds, favoring their use in the further development of therapeutic compounds in plants.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.425-439
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• 2018

W investigated the environmental factors and inhabiting biota such as macrophytes and zooplankton in 43 sites located on Jeju Island from May and June 2017 to evaluate the spread and ecosystem risk of dotted duckweed (landoltia punctata) which was recently found for the first time in Jeju Island. Dotted duckweeds were found in a total of 18 sites which tended to show low biomass of aquatic macrophyte species other than the dotted duckweed. We conducted a pattern analysis using SOM (Self-Organizing Map), which extracts information through competitive and adaptive properties, to analyze the effect of inhabiting biota on aquatic macrophytes such as the dotted duckweed and environmental factors. The SOM analysis showed that the inhabiting biota such as the zooplankton affected the biomass of aquatic macrophytes than they did the environmental factors. In particular, the biomass of dotted duckweed was positively related to plant-attached species (Alona, Chydorus, and Pleuroxus). Considering that low density of aquatic macrophytes covers the streams and wetlands on Jeju Island because of irregular water source and sharp change of water depth, the dotted duckweeds are likely to play an essential role as the vital habitat for micro-biota including zooplankton in wetlands and streams on Jeju Island. Furthermore, considering that organic matters are utilized as the primary food source in the areas occupied by dotted duckweed, dotted duckweeds have the role of being both habitat and food source. Although the dense growth of dotted duckweed adversely affects growth and development of some aquatic plants due to the shadow effect, it is due to the dominance of floating plants on the water surface should not be regarded as the risk of the dotted duckweed. In conclusion, the dotted duckweeds have spread and settled in most of the water systems on Jeju Island, their impact on inhabiting biota and the aquatic environment was minor. It is necessary to monitor the distribution and spread of dotted duckweeds in the inland areas outside of Jeju Island in the future.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.1168-1176
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• 2004

Intensive animal industries create large volumes of nutrient rich effluent, which, if untreated, has the potential for substantial environmental degradation. Aquatic plants in aerobic lagoon systems have the potential to achieve inexpensive and efficient remediation of effluent, and to recover valuable nutrients that would otherwise be lost. Members of the family Lemnaceae (duckweeds) are widely used in lagoon systems, but despite their widespread use in the cleansing of sewage, only limited research has been conducted into their growth in highly eutrophic media, and little has been done to systematically distinguish between different types of media. This study examined the growth characteristics of duckweed in abattoir effluent, and explored possible ways of ameliorating the inhibitory factors to growth on this medium. A series of pot trials was conducted to test the tolerance of duckweed to abattoir effluent partially remediated by a sojourn in anaerobic fermentation ponds, both in its unmodified form, and after the addition of acid to manipulate pH, and the addition of bentonite. Unmodified abattoir effluent was highly toxic to duckweed, although duckweed remained viable and grew sub optimally in media with total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) concentrations of up to 100 mg/l. Duckweed also grew vigorously in effluent diluted 1:4 v/v, containing 56 mg TAN/L and also modified by addition of acid to decrease pH to 7 and by adding bentonite (0.5%).

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.47-51
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• 1982

Red tilapia fingerlings were tested for 45 days on the growth rate in a closed recirculating water system omitting filter bed and was compared with common carp fingerlings grown together in the same tank and also with red tilapia fingerlings grown in a well conditioned conventional pond. The tank water was kept in deepgreen colour by heavy phytoplankton bloom during the most of the experimental period and duckweeds, Lemna sp. and water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes were put to grow in the parts of the water system. Total ammonia level in the tank was mostly kept at about 5 to 7 ppm, with a fluctuation between 3.4 and 11.2 ppm. Average daily growth rate of the tilapia in the experimental tank was $6.5112\%$ without any mortality, compared to $3.617\%$ for common carp fingerlings involving some mortality in the same tank, and to $5.7712\%$ for the tilapia grown in the conventional pond. The feed used for the experiment was one prepared for the rearing of common carp, and the duckweed grown in parts of the water system was routinely collected and fed to the tilapia in the tank as supplementary diet probably satisfying unknown growth factors.