FIT4CEA presents duckweed cultivation review at the 8th ICDRA
On 1 October 2026, Sara Demaria, a research fellow at the University of Bologna (DISTAL), represented FIT4CEA at the 8th International Conference on Duckweed Research and Applications in portici, Italy, hosted by the University of Naples Federico II. Her presentation, “Growing duckweed indoor: how cultivation conditions and management strategies modulate productivity and nutritional quality – A systematic review”, examined how light, temperature, nutrient supply and cultivation management affect duckweed growth and composition. A key message was that cultivation conditions should be tailored to the production target, as protein and starch accumulation can respond differently. Integrating growth and concentration data to quantify protein and starch productivity is therefore essential to assess the overall effect of cultivation parameters. The review also highlighted differences among species and clones and gaps requiring further research. The presentation supported WP8 dissemination activities by sharing the review’s findings which provide a scientific basis for designing cultivation trials under WP4.
Photo from FIT4CEA’s report of the 8th ICDRA presentation. Image source.
