About this Research Topic
As its name implies, duckweeds are a favorite food source for fowl and several fish and other animals as well. Under optimal conditions in nature or in the laboratory, several species can double their biomass almost daily, with protein content reaching 40% or more of the dry weight. In controlled conditions, they can be grown axenically, either autotrophically, mixotrophically, or heterotrophically, in defined inorganic or organic liquid medium, or on agar. In addition, the genomes of some duckweeds are among the smallest for a higher plant. Coupled with the increasing abilities of several groups to genetically transform various species of this aquatic family, think "upcoming model system" or "biotech applications."
Indeed, R&D and applications involving duckweeds are in bloom. Advances across the board in duckweed biochemistry, molecular biology/molecular genetics and physiology, ecotoxicology and phytoremediation, interactions with different environments, ecosystems and climatic conditions, nutrients and natural products, biofuels and biomass production, are among the subject matters to be addressed in this Research Topic.
Keywords: Lemnaceae, molecular genetics, ecotoxicology, natural products, physiology
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