Duckweed chemical composition: A potential source of biofuel, food and feeds

Naseem Zahra, Ali Imran, Awais Ali, Syed Hussain Imam Abidi, Quart-ul-Ain Syed and Muhammad Khalid Saeed

Abstract

Duckweed belongs to Lemnaceae family and is known as smallest species of flowering plants, i.e., macrophytes. Duckweed floats on or just beneath the surface of freshwater and wetlands. It is protein enriched source, which may produce larger quantities of protein rich biomass. Duckweed is consumed as human food in some poor areas of South Asia like Thailand, Myanmar and Laos. In Israel, it is also cultivated as vegetable. Duckweed is widely accepted as best animal feed internationally. It has also potential of reducing chemical loads in facultative sewage lagoons. These plants are used as food for fresh/pond water animals and fish. This review entails the information regarding importance of duckweed as best nutritional composition for human food and animal feed as well as a viable source of biofuel.