Conference Tackles Some of World's Largest Challenges With The World's Smallest Plant

Mayfield, KY, April 23, 2015 (Newswire.com) - What does a wastewater-treatment company in India have in common with an animal-feed producer in the Philippines? Or with a human nutrition start-up in Israel?  All are pioneering the use of the world’s smallest and fastest-growing plant: high-protein, high starch versatile duckweed. 

Representatives from these companies will meet at the 3rd International Conference on Duckweed Research and Applications (ICDRA) along with duckweed experts from all over the world. It takes place in Kyoto, Japan, July 3 to 6, 2015.  

"We are excited to announce this conference as being open to the general public," says Dr. Klaus Appenroth, head of the International Steering Committee for Duckweed Research and Applications (ISCDRA). "Duckweed holds great promise in addressing the global challenges of sustainable, affordable biomass production to offset depleted marine fishmeal sources. It offers plant-based proteins for human nutrition, abundant biomass for biofuel, and a win/win solution for remediating polluted ground water, returning clean water and a fresh biomass for animal feed."

Dr. Klaus Appenroth, head of ISCDRA

“We are excited to announce this conference as being open to the general public,” says Dr. Klaus Appenroth, head of the International Steering Committee for Duckweed Research and Applications (ISCDRA). “Duckweed holds great promise in addressing the global challenges of sustainable, affordable biomass production to offset depleted marine fishmeal sources. It offers plant-based proteins for human nutrition, abundant biomass for biofuel, and a win/win solution for remediating polluted ground water, returning clean water and a fresh biomass for animal feed.” 

The biannual event facilitates collaboration among people in all areas of the duckweed industry. Breakout sessions will include the latest in duckweed research as well as developments at duckweed start-ups such as Hinoman, Ltd. (Israel),  Agriquatics (India), and MamaGrande (Argentina).

Duckweed species rank as the smallest and fastest-growing vascular plants in the world. Freely floating on water surfaces, they reproduce by budding, doubling in volume every 20 hours.  Their ability to efficiently extract nutrients from wastewater and their nearly-complete amino acid profile offer hope for countries challenged with depleting ground water stores and lack of affordable animal feed choices. Globally, much work is underway on duckweed’s potential to answer challenges in bioenergy, bioplastics, and human nutrition.

For more information on attending this conference: http://www.internationallemnaassociation.org/Conferences.html