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The Duckweed Genomes

  • Describes duckweeds: the fastest-growing, most widely distributed, and morphologically reduced angiosperms on the planet
  • Covers the latest findings in modern genetics, epigenetics, cytogenetics, transcriptomics, proteomics and genomics research concerning all 5 genera of duckweeds: Spirodela, Landoltia, Lemna, Wolffiella, and Wolffia
  • Details the nuclear and organelle genome sequences of Spirodela polyrhiza, which is the smallest, least methylated and least transposon-rich monocot genome sequenced to date
  • Is the only book to date dedicated to the genomics of this basal monocot family
  • Stresses the importance of duckweeds as an aquatic plant model and as an extensive resource for biotechnological applications
  • Elucidates on the impact of whole genome sequencing, omics studies, and genome editing on future basic and applied research on duckweed

Part of the book series: Compendium of Plant Genomes (CPG)

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Table of contents (18 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xviii
  2. Importance of Duckweeds in Basic Research and Their Industrial Applications

    • Paul Fourounjian, Tamra Fakhoorian, Xuan Hieu Cao
    Pages 1-17
  3. Tiny Plants with Enormous Potential: Phylogeny and Evolution of Duckweeds

    • Nicholas P. Tippery, Donald H. Les
    Pages 19-38
  4. Worldwide Genetic Resources of Duckweed: Stock Collections

    • K. S. Sree, K.-J. Appenroth
    Pages 39-46
  5. Cytogenetics, Epigenetics and Karyotype Evolution of Duckweeds

    • Xuan Hieu Cao, Giang T. H. Vu
    Pages 47-57
  6. Genetic Diversity and DNA Barcoding in the Duckweed Family

    • Jiaming Zhang, Azizullah Azizullah
    Pages 59-65
  7. Strategies and Tools for Sequencing Duckweeds

    • Xiaoli Xiang, Changsheng Li
    Pages 67-75
  8. The Journey of Spirodela Whole-Genome Sequencing

    • Dong An, Wenqin Wang
    Pages 77-85
  9. Duckweed Chloroplast Genome Sequencing and Annotation

    • Yating Zhang, Wenqin Wang
    Pages 103-114
  10. Genotyping-by-Sequencing for Species Delimitation in Lemna Section Uninerves Hegelm. (Lemnaceae)

    • M. Bog, S. Xu, A. Himmelbach, R. Brandt, F. Wagner, K.-J. Appenroth et al.
    Pages 115-123
  11. The Transcriptome in Landoltia punctata

    • Yang Fang, Anping Du, Li Tan, Kaize He, Yanling Jin, Yanqiang Ding et al.
    Pages 125-131
  12. Transcriptome Responses of Spirodela polyrhiza

    • Paul Fourounjian
    Pages 133-136
  13. Proteomics in Duckweeds

    • Yang Fang, Anping Du, Li Tan, Kaize He, Yanling Jin, Xueping Tian et al.
    Pages 137-141
  14. Transformation Development in Duckweeds

    • Jingjing Yang, Shiqi Hu, Gaojie Li, Suliman Khan, Sunjeet Kumar, Lunguang Yao et al.
    Pages 143-155
  15. Small RNAs in Duckweeds

    • Paul Fourounjian
    Pages 157-164
  16. Editing the Genome of Wolffia australiana

    • Thomas Reinard, Anke Londenberg, Merlin Brychcy, Kim Lühmann, Gerrich Behrendt, Maren Wichmann
    Pages 165-177
  17. Future Prospects of Duckweed Research and Applications

    • Giang T. H. Vu, Paul Fourounjian, Wenqin Wang, Xuan Hieu Cao
    Pages 179-185

About this book

This book tells the story behind the first Spirodela genome sequencing project. Further, it describes the current genomics applications of these findings, and efforts to sequence new genomes within the family. The closing chapters address the sequencing of the over 1 Gigabase Wolffia genomes, which could have major impacts on genome evolution and agricultural research. 


  
The duckweed or Lemnaceae family is a collection of 5 genera and 37 species of the smallest, fastest-growing flowering plants. Many of these aquatic monocotyledonous plants can grow all over the world, in a variety of climates. Given their simplified and neotenous morphology, duckweeds have been researched for several decades as a model species for plant physiology and ecotoxicological research, contributing to our understanding e.g. of flowering response, plant circadian systems, sulfur assimilation pathways and auxin biosynthesis. In addition, duckweed-based treatment has been a favorite and feasible means, especially in developing countries, of removing phosphorus and pharmaceutical chemicals from sewage and wastewater.




With a dry annual mass yield per hectare of up to 80 tonnes (equivalent to 10 tonnes of protein), duckweed is also a promising aquatic crop in new modern and sustainable agriculture. Besides being an excellent primary or supplemental feedstock for the production of livestock and fish, duckweed biomass can be utilized as a potential resource for human nutrition, biofuel, or bioplastics, depending on water quality as well as protein or starch accumulating procedures. These academic and commercial interests have led to international efforts to sequence the Spirodela polyrhiza genome, the smallest and most ancient genome in the family. 


Editors and Affiliations

  • Department of Plant Physiology, Institute of Biology, Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany

    Xuan Hieu Cao

  • Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, USA

    Paul Fourounjian

  • School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China

    Wenqin Wang

About the editors



Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 149.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access