Duckweed- How to grow it in fresh water having near zero organic matter and minerals on mineral rich lands?

Question

In tropical India

Answer 1

The natural habitat of duckweed is floating freely on the surface of fresh or brackish water sheltered from wind and wave action by surrounding vegetation. The most favorable circumstance is water with decaying organic material to provide duckweed with a steady supply of growth nutrients and trace elements. A dense cover of duckweed shuts out light and inhibits competing submerged aquatic plants, including algae.

Duckweed fronds are not anchored in soil, but float freely on the surface of a body of water. They can be dispersed by fast currents or pushed toward a bank by wind and wave action. If the plants become piled up in deep layers the lowest layer will be cut off from light and will eventually die. Plants pushed from the water onto a bank will also dry out and die. Disruption of the complete cover on the water's surface permits the growth of algae and other submerged plants that can become dominant and inhibit further growth of a duckweed colony.

To cultivate duckweed a farmer needs to organize and maintain conditions that mimic the natural environmental niche of duckweed: a sheltered, pond-like culture plot and a constant supply of water and nutrients from organic or mineral fertilizers. Wastewater effluent rich in organic material is a particularly valuable asset for cultivating duckweed because it provides a steady supply of essential nutrients and water.

In this case there is a coincidence of interests between a municipal government, which would treat the wastewater if it could afford to do so, and nearby farmers, who can profitably do so.

Answer 2

The natural habitat of duckweed is floating freely on the surface of fresh or brackish water sheltered from wind and wave action by surrounding vegetation. The most favorable circumstance is water with decaying organic material to provide duckweed with a steady supply of growth nutrients and trace elements. A dense cover of duckweed shuts out light and inhibits competing submerged aquatic plants, including algae.

Duckweed fronds are not anchored in soil, but float freely on the surface of a body of water. They can be dispersed by fast currents or pushed toward a bank by wind and wave action. If the plants become piled up in deep layers the lowest layer will be cut off from light and will eventually die. Plants pushed from the water onto a bank will also dry out and die. Disruption of the complete cover on the water's surface permits the growth of algae and other submerged plants that can become dominant and inhibit further growth of a duckweed colony.

To cultivate duckweed a farmer needs to organize and maintain conditions that mimic the natural environmental niche of duckweed: a sheltered, pond-like culture plot and a constant supply of water and nutrients from organic or mineral fertilizers. Wastewater effluent rich in organic material is a particularly valuable asset for cultivating duckweed because it provides a steady supply of essential nutrients and water.

In this case there is a coincidence of interests between a municipal government, which would treat the wastewater if it could afford to do so, and nearby farmers, who can profitably do so.

Answer 3

Minerals will leach (flow during rainfall) from surrounding land into the pond/lake; some organic matter should too. Organic matter is important for all plants, including water plants; primarily they need nitrogen to grow and most plants cannot make this for themselves. If this is a new pond or similar you could kick start it with a small amount of plant fertiliser - once your duckweed is established organic matter will naturally occur in the pond from eg. dead leaves and small insects, bird droppings etc.

Answer 4

Duck weed is easy to grow provided it has full sun, it doesnt need any organic matter as it is a floating plant, and only distilled water has no minerals in it.

Answer 5

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