This Tiny Plant Has Huge Potential for Food, Fuel, and Climate Solutions

Duckweed might be the world’s most underestimated plant. Thriving in water and rich in potential, this fast-growing aquatic wonder could help revolutionize farming, fuel, and even climate tech.

Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have cracked the genetic code of five duckweed species, revealing genes behind its rootless nature, super-efficient carbon capture, and ability to produce protein and starch. These findings could accelerate commercial applications – and even offer clues to Earth’s evolutionary past and environmental future.

Duckweed: A Tiny Powerhouse with Huge Potential

Given the right conditions, duckweed can practically grow on its own. Whether in wastewater, ponds, puddles, or swamps, this aquatic plant thrives as long as there’s enough sunlight and carbon dioxide. But duckweed isn’t just prolific – it’s also packed with potential. Its tiny fronds could be harnessed as a natural fertilizer, a renewable fuel source, a high-protein food, and more. Now, new research from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) may help turn that potential into reality.

CSHL Professor and Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Investigator Rob Martienssen, along with Computational Analyst Evan Ernst, has been studying duckweed for more than 15 years. They consider their latest findings among the most significant yet. The team successfully sequenced the genomes of five duckweed species, uncovering genes that appear to influence the plant’s unique features and adaptability.

Pinpointing the Genes Behind Duckweed’s Superpowers

“The use of cutting-edge technology allowed us to make a catalog of genes that was extremely accurate. We could tell exactly which genes were there and which were not. A lot of genes that are missing are responsible for features of the plant – open stomata or the lack of roots. We could identify genes that were responsible for each trait.”

Stomata are pores on the surface of plants. They’re crucial for taking in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. Open stomata allow for greater intake, making them valuable for carbon capture technology. A lack of roots in some species further increases duckweed’s potential, making it easier for the plant to thrive in any watery environment.

Fuel, Feed, and the Future of Farming

Other species possess traits that showcase duckweed’s potential as a food and fuel source. Some traits promote high protein production, allowing for use as animal feed. Others promote starch accumulation, making the plant ripe for biofuel production. Several industries have taken notice. For now, they’re mostly concerned with the duckweed growing in their backyards.

Ernst explains, “Duckweed agriculture is in a nascent stage. Commercial growers are working with different species in the field, evaluating them in their own local situation. There’s so much variation within one species of duckweed – as much as you can find across all the species. So, having multiple genomes for multiple species is critical.”

A Glimpse Into Duckweed’s Ancient – and Possibly Future – Role

Martienssen and Ernst hope their genomes will open the door to a new world of commercial applications. That said, their research may tell us as much about the plant’s past. Their study hints at how duckweed split off into different species 59 million years ago. Earth’s climate was quite extreme back then, so duckweed’s genes just might say something about the planet’s future, too.

Reference: “Duckweed genomes and epigenomes underlie triploid hybridization and clonal reproduction” by Evan Ernst, Bradley Abramson, Kenneth Acosta, Phuong T.N. Hoang, Cristian Mateo-Elizalde, Veit Schubert, Buntora Pasaribu, Patrice S. Albert, Nolan Hartwick, Kelly Colt, Anthony Aylward, Umamaheswari Ramu, James A. Birchler, Ingo Schubert, Eric Lam, Todd P. Michael and Robert A. Martienssen, 1 April 2025, Current Biology.
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.03.013

Funding: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, U.S. Department of Energy, Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, Seeding Solutions, Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Tang Genomics Fund

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