BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//CERN//INDICO//EN BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:AI-Driven Virtual Screening of Lemna minor Phenolic Compounds in t he Search for Novel Glycemic Control Agents DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261001T081500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261001T083000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260920T015833Z UID:indico-contribution-440-2927@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Felipe Alves (1CIMO\, LA SusTEC\, Instituto Politéc nico de Bragança\, Campus de Santa Apolónia\, 5300-253 Bragança\, Portu gal/2Nutrition and Bromatology Group\, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science\, Instituto de Agroecoloxía e Alimentación (IAA)—CITE XVI\, Universidade de Vigo\, 36310 Vigo\, Spain)\nThe protein tyrosine pho sphatase 1B (PTP1B\; EC 3.1.3.48)\, encoded by the PTPN1 gene\, dephosphor ylates the activated insulin receptor and IRS-1\, acting as a negative reg ulator of insulin and leptin. PTP1B knockout mice\, which are more insulin sensitive and resistant to diet-induced obesity\, genetically validate PT P1B as a dual target for type 2 diabetes and obesity. However\, no inhibit or has made it to clinical trials. We applied an integrated and phased flo w\, with prior validation\, to the 53 phenolic compounds of Lemna minor\, found in literature and hosted in the LMW Database against PTP1B (PDB 2QBS ): (1) validation by redocking of the co-crystallized inhibitor\; (2) mole cular docking (AutoDock Vina) [4]\; (3) consensus by second scoring functi on (Vinardo) and by machine learning (RF-Score)\; (4) AI co-folding with c onfidence metric (Boltz-2)\; and (5) internal control with cross-validatio n in the literature. Lemna minor was rich in PTP1B ligands (about two-thir ds of the phenolics showed a strong predicted interaction). Flavone luteol in stood out as a lead in all criteria (docking −9.14 kcal/mol\; best fl avonoid by affinity\; ipTM 0.90)\, corroborated by literature: luteolin de rivatives inhibit PTP1B (luteolin-7-diglucuronide\, IC50 = 2.10 μM)\; que rcetin is a reference inhibitor of aldose reductase (IC50 = 6.6 μM)\; and apigenin inhibits α-glucosidase (IC50 = 10.5 μM). Lemna minor extracts emerge as multi-component\, multitarget antidiabetic candidates\, with a s olid basis for subsequent in vitro experimental confirmation.\n\nhttps://i ndico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2927/ LOCATION:Department of Agricultural Sciences of the University of Napoli F ederico II\, Portici\, Italy Sala Cinese URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2927/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:High-Throughput Non-Destructive Prediction of Duckweed Protein Con tent Using Hyperspectral Imaging and Deep Learning DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261001T080000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261001T081500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260920T015833Z UID:indico-contribution-440-2923@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Weijuan Huang (Shenzhen University of Advanced Techn ology)\nDuckweed is a promising plant-based protein and biomass resource\, but efficient breeding and large-scale cultivation require rapid\, high-t hroughput\, and non-destructive evaluation of key traits. Conventional met hods for determining crude protein and chlorophyll contents are labor-inte nsive\, chemically demanding\, and destructive\, limiting their applicatio n in large-scale germplasm screening and real-time cultivation management. In this study\, we developed an integrated high-throughput phenotyping pl atform combining hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and deep learning for simulta neous non-destructive prediction of crude protein content\, leaf area-base d relative growth rate (RGR)\, and chlorophyll content in duckweed. More t han 200 duckweed samples cultivated in standardized 12-well microplates we re scanned using an HSI system covering 400–2000 nm with a spectral reso lution of 3 nm. A DeepLab v3+ semantic segmentation model was used to deli neate duckweed fronds and quantify leaf area\, enabling automated extracti on of growth-related phenotypes. A Transformer-based spectral-spatial feat ure fusion model was further developed to integrate RGB-derived spatial fe atures with hyperspectral signatures for biochemical and growth trait pred iction. The platform achieved strong predictive performance for crude prot ein content (R² = 0.938\, RMSE = 1.030\, prediction accuracy = 95.8%)\, c hlorophyll content (R² = 0.893\, RMSE = 1.514\, prediction accuracy = 94. 7%)\, and leaf area-based RGR (prediction accuracy = 98.5%). With a throug hput of up to 120 samples per hour\, this HSI- and deep learning-based pla tform provides an efficient tool for duckweed germplasm evaluation\, high- protein strain selection\, and precision cultivation management.\n\nhttps: //indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2923/ LOCATION:Department of Agricultural Sciences of the University of Napoli F ederico II\, Portici\, Italy Sala Cinese URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2923/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Non-invasive estimation of duckweed biomass quality can be achieva ble by spectral signatures DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261001T074500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261001T080000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260920T015833Z UID:indico-contribution-440-2922@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Viktor Oláh (Department of Botany\, Faculty of Scie nce and Technology\, University of Debrecen)\nCommercial duckweed cultivat ion may require regular monitoring of biomass quality\, but chemical analy ses can be laborious and costly. Optical signatures –that is selective l ight absorbance- of fronds would offer a promising alternative\, yet repor ts on testing such proxies on duckweeds are still scarcely available. To a ddress this knowledge gap\, we tested light transmittance- and reflectance -derived indices of duckweed fronds as quick tools in estimating biomass q uality.\n\nWe analyzed biochemical and optical traits in a total of 9 duck weed clones belonging to 3 widely spread species with economic potential: *Lemna gibba*\, *Lemna minor* and *Spirodela polyrhiza*. The plants were c ultivated in a growth chamber under 2 different light intensities\, and th e studied parameters included relative growth rate\, dry matter content\, protein and photosynthetic pigment contents\, as well as various indices d erived from hyperspectral reflectance spectra and frond transmittance.\n\n Our results indicated strongly interrelated frond traits. Reflectance indi ces also correlated well with protein and photosynthetic pigment concentra tions in the biomass. Similarly\, frond transmittance assessed by a handhe ld chlorophyll meter proved to be reliable in estimating protein content o f the biomass. Optical signatures\, therefore\, can be applicable in routi ne monitoring of biomass quality and physiological status of duckweed cult ures in larger-scale applications too.\n\nThis research was funded by the NKFIH OTKA grant No. FK 134296. Viktor Oláh was supported by the János B olyai Research Scholarship of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and by the University of Debrecen Program for Scientific Publication.\n\nhttps://ind ico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2922/ LOCATION:Department of Agricultural Sciences of the University of Napoli F ederico II\, Portici\, Italy Sala Cinese URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2922/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Growing duckweed indoors: how cultivation conditions and managemen t strategies modulate productivity and nutritional quality - A systematic review DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261001T073000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261001T074500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260920T015833Z UID:indico-contribution-440-2921@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Sara Demaria (DISTAL\, Department of Agricultural an d Food Sciences\, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna\, Bol ogna\, Italy)\nNon-conventional crops with high nutritional value and effi cient resource use may improve food security while reducing environmental pressures. Duckweeds are fast-growing aquatic plants with high potential a s alternative protein sources. However\, their ability to assimilate sever al compounds may imposes food-safety concerns. Controlled-environment agri culture (CEA) could reduce microbiological risks and accumulation of undes irable compounds\, but knowledge of indoor cultivation strategies remains fragmented. This systematic review synthesized how growing conditions and management affect duckweed growth and biochemical composition in indoor CE A. Four databases were searched for studies reporting growth and/or bioche mical outcomes. Responses varied among genera\, species\, clones\, and out comes\, preventing definition of common cultivation ranges. Most studies e xamined Lemna\, particularly Lemna minor\, in small-scale batch systems\; semi-continuous\, recirculating\, photobioreactor\, and multilayer systems were uncommon. In Lemna\, nitrogen availability and source affected bioma ss and protein production\, while nutrient limitation and environmental st ress promoted starch or soluble sugar accumulation\, often reducing growth . Light intensity influenced biomass more consistently than composition. I n Spirodela\, red light and carbon availability promoted starch accumulati on\, while blue light increased amino acids and photosynthetic pigments. L andoltia showed consistent starch accumulation under nutrient limitation\, especially when combined with extended photoperiods. In Wolffia\, nutrien t availability influenced protein\, starch\, biomass nitrogen\, and nitrat e accumulation\, while evidence for Wolffiella was limited. Minerals\, und esirable compounds\, and microbiological safety were occasionally assessed . Evidence supports food-oriented production and shows that cultivation co nditions can direct biomass towards protein- or starch-oriented uses. Scal ing up cultivation alongside comprehensive nutritional and safety assessme nts is needed to develop standardized production strategies.\n\nhttps://in dico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2921/ LOCATION:Department of Agricultural Sciences of the University of Napoli F ederico II\, Portici\, Italy Sala Cinese URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2921/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Optimising Lemna cultivation for food applications DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261001T071500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261001T073000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260920T015833Z UID:indico-contribution-440-2920@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Ingrid van der Meer (Wageningen University and Resea rch)\nNow EFSA approval has been obtained for the introduction of Lemna mi nor and Lemna gibba as vegetable for human consumption we concentrated res earch activities on methods to obtain stable plant biomass production\, ad hering to the EC legislation. As we foresee an indoor (vertical) farming s ystem as most successful and controllable\, we tested artificial lighting strategies to reach lowest energy input as possible. \nTo determine requir ed light intensity and spectra we studied different light intensities resu lting in good plant growth. High light intensity showed more plant stress and anthocyanin accumulation which was slightly modulated by fertilization . Next\, we analysed different photoperiods resulting in a linear correlat ion of cumulative production and photoperiod without clear growth saturati on at longer photoperiods. Fertilization had a small effect on plant bioma ss and root growth\, but a large effect on cyanobacteria and microalgae co ntamination which will be a major risk determinant to increase yield and h igh-quality fresh products. As artificial light will be the main cost dete rminant for year-round plant production in vertical farming system\, we te sted the effect of intermitted light regimes\, showing that commercial cul tivation can make use of flexible hours with a low energy rate. Dynamic li ght strategies with far red did not show any effect on plant biomass.\nAn objective for the future is to product organic certified Lemna plant produ cts\, currently based on Regulation (EU) 2018/848. We tested several curre ntly available fertilizers for their potential use in Lemna cultivation. N ext steps include analysis of plant composition and adherence to EU set sp ecifications.\n\nhttps://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2920/ LOCATION:Department of Agricultural Sciences of the University of Napoli F ederico II\, Portici\, Italy Sala Cinese URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2920/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:High quality and quantity duckweed biomass production & protein\, starch biosynthesis DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261001T070000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261001T071500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260920T015833Z UID:indico-contribution-440-2919@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Hai Zhao (Chengdu Institute of Biology\, Chinese Aca demy of Sciences)\nDuckweeds are the smallest and fastest-growing flowerin g plants and represent a promising source of high-value aquatic biomass. H ere\, we summarize recent progress from our group in duckweed research. Mo re than 10 years studies in a 0.33-ha production system in Yunnan demonstr ated that duckweed can generate abundant biomass under practical cultivati on conditions\, with annual biomass productivity reaching 39.2–55.0 t ha ⁻¹. Beyond high yield\, duckweed also showed clear quality advantages o ver water hyacinth\, characterized by higher nutritional value and lower l ignocellulosic components. These features support its potential as a diges tible and nutrient-rich feed ingredient. Consistently\, pig feeding trials showed that duckweed supplementation improved growth performance compared with the control diet\, with a 46.15% increase in average daily gain and a 43.71% reduction in the feed-to-gain ratio. Improvements in meat quality further supported the practical value of duckweed for animal production. Further mechanistic and genetic studies revealed that cultivation optimiza tion and physiological induction can promote starch accumulation above 75% of dry weight\, associated with altered carbon allocation and reduced lig nocellulosic components. In parallel\, high-protein duckweed strains with protein contents exceeding 50% were selected\, and several genes associate d with enhanced nitrogen assimilation and protein accumulation were cloned and functionally characterized\, providing targets for improving protein production. Efficient genetic transformation systems have also expanded th e application of duckweed as a plant bioreactor for recombinant protein pr oduction\, including edible vaccines. Together\, these studies establish d uckweed as a high-quality biomass resource and a versatile synthetic biolo gy platform for future food\, feed\, and plant-based biomanufacturing.\n\n https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2919/ LOCATION:Department of Agricultural Sciences of the University of Napoli F ederico II\, Portici\, Italy Sala Cinese URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2919/ END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR