Growth Variation Among Thai Duckweed Species Under Axenic Conditions

Area of Science:

• Plant Science
• Biotechnology
• Aquatic Botany

Background:

• Duckweed is recognized for high protein content and rapid growth potential.
• Understanding duckweed's phenotypic traits is key for biotechnological applications.
• Previous studies often lacked controlled, sterile conditions, limiting genetic focus.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess duckweed growth performance under axenic (sterile) culture conditions.
• To measure and compare relative growth rates (RGR) across different duckweed species and strains.
• To identify genetic components influencing duckweed growth by minimizing environmental variables.

Main Methods:

• Measured relative growth rate (RGR) in four duckweed species: Landoltia punctata, Lemna aequinoctialis, Spirodela polyrhiza, and Wolffia globosa.
• Utilized axenic culture to isolate genetic growth factors.
• Tested six to seven strains per species collected from Thailand.

Main Results:

• Relative growth rates varied significantly, from 0.012 day⁻¹ (S. polyrhiza) to 0.162 day⁻¹ (W. globosa).
• Substantial intraspecific variation in RGR was observed in L. punctata, S. polyrhiza, and W. globosa (9.6% to 109.9% CV).
• Wolffia globosa exhibited exponential growth, distinct from the steady growth of most other strains.

Conclusions:

• Provides foundational RGR data for Thai duckweed species under standardized axenic conditions.
• Advances understanding of strain-specific growth variations in duckweed.
• Establishes a protocol for evaluating duckweed growth, supporting future research and biotechnological development.