Lemna

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iDuckweed

Common Duckweed (Lemna minor)

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Liliopsida
Order:	Alismatales
Family:	Araceae
Genus:	Lemna L.

Species

Lemna gibba : Gibbous Duckweed
Lemna minuta
Lemna minor : Common Duckweed
Lemna trisulca : Ivy Duckweed

Lemna is a genus of free-floating aquatic plants from the duckweed family. The duckweeds have been classified as a separate family, the Lemnaceae, but some researchers (the AGP II) consider the duckweeds members of the Araceae.

Lemna species grow as simple free-floating thalli on or just beneath the water surface. Most are small, not exceeding 5 mm in length, except Lemna *at 4.4% Fibre 8-10% Under scientific farming with fertilisers the protein content can be increased to 45% Duckweed meal(dried duckweed) is a good cattle feed,

Scientific Farming

Eventhough duckweed can tolerate the temperature of 6 degree Celsius to 33 degree Celsius,the appropriate temperature range for a good harvest is 20 degree Celsius to 28 degree Celsius. PH 5to9,better growth is possible in a PH range of 6.5 to 7.5.A minimum water depth of 1' is required .To attain a protein content of 45% ,the soluble Nitrogen in the water should be 60Mg/Litre and the Phosphorus 1Mg/Litre,,for the requrement of micronutrients put crude common salt ,fertilser is required on a daily basis.We can farm the Duckweed organically,cattle dung Pig waste biogas plant slurry,or any other organic matter can be fed to the farm in a slurry form.Harvesting should be done on a daily basis otherwise the fast growing weed will fill the pool and will depress the further growth.after the harvest assure that there is only less than a kilogramm of weed is there in a squaremeter.We can expect a yield of 20-40 Tons of dried Duckweed from a hectare of farm,that is 9-18 Tons of Potein.

[edit] References

Cross, J.W. (2006). The Charms of Duckweed.
Landolt, E. (1986) Biosystematic investigations in the family of duckweeds (Lemnaceae). Vol. 2. The family of Lemnaceae - A monographic study. Part 1 of the monograph: Morphology; karyology; ecology; geographic distribution; systematic position; nomenclature; descriptions. Veröff. Geobot. Inst., Stiftung Rübel, ETH, Zurich.
Lemna Ecotox testing Duckweed growth inhibition tests and standardisation