BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//CERN//INDICO//EN BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Marked Inter- and Intraspecific Duckweed Diversity Enables Selecti on of More Suitable Genotypes for the Valorization of Raw Dairy-wastewater DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T083000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T084500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2934@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Cristian Perna (Institute of Agricultural Biology an d Biotechnology - National Research Council (IBBA-CNR))\nEffluents generat ed by the dairy sector constitute a nutrient-rich matrix with a\nsignifica nt environmental impact. Conventional treatments are generally energy-inte nsive and\nbased on biological oxidation\, leading to nutrient dissipation and secondary waste products.\nPhytoremediation emerge as sustainable str ategy for nutrient recovery and biomass\nproduction within a circular econ omy framework. Duckweeds are particularly attractive for\nthese applicatio ns\, and their nutritional properties open perspectives as feed supplement s.\nTheir remarkable biodiversity\, characterized by extensive genetic var iability\, polyploidization\nand hybridization\, translates into adaptabil ity to heterogeneous aquatic environments. Such\ndiversity likely correspo nds to a wide spectrum of functional traits suitable to phytoremediation\n systems. This work explores the diversity of autochthonous (EU) duckweed c lonal accessions\nsourced from the IBBA collection\, representative of mul tiple taxonomic levels\, including\nspecies from different genera\, genoty pes within the same species\, allopolyploids and their\nparental species. Tested accessions were evaluated for their growth performance on dairy\nwa stewater. Microbial community dynamics were also investigated in order to explore the\ncontribution of cooperative plant–microbe interactions.\nSp ecific harsh growth conditions favoured certain species and clones over ot hers\, revealing\nlarge inter- and intraspecific variability. Two accessio ns emerged as the best-performing:\nLemna minor (#5500) and its natural al lotriploid Lemna × mediterranea (#LER0021). Further\ncharacterization of their physiological and biochemical traits\, e.g. pigment and protein cont ent\,\noxidative stress markers as well as nutrient depletion efficiency\, revealed two distinctive eco-\nphysiological strategies.\n\nhttps://indic o.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2934/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2934/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Transgenic Spirodela polyrhiza and Lemna minor for Oral Delivery of Highly Glycosylated Human Interferon Alpha-2b DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T084000Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2888@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Yelizaveta Prokhorova (Division of Plant Sciences\, School of Life Sciences\, University of Dundee)\nDuckweeds are a group of aquatic plants that represent an attractive platform for molecular farming due to their rapid vegetative propagation\, genetic stability\, and low c ultivation costs. In this study\, we investigated the production of recomb inant human interferon alpha-2b (HsIFN2b)\, a cytokine widely used for antiviral and anti-proliferative therapies\, in duckweed\, with potential to reduce costs associated with downstream processing\, cold-chain storage \, and parenteral administration.\n\nRespiratory viral infections remain a major global health burden\, causing significant morbidity\, mortality\, and economic losses\, while access to prevention and treatment remains lim ited in many low-income countries. Oral delivery of HsIFN2b has been sh own to produce a systemic immune response at doses up to 104-fold lower th an required for injections\, potentially reducing its adverse effects. Mor eover\, in edible duckweeds\, the plant cell wall may provide bioencapsula tion\, protecting recombinant protein from digestion via gastrointestinal enzymes.\n \nTo improve the protein stability and biological activity of H sIFN2b\, four artificial N-glycosylation sites were introduced by site- directed amino acid substitution. Transgenic lines of Spirodela polyrhiza 162 and Lemna minor 8623 expressing 4N-HsIFN2b were generated via Agrob acterium-mediated transformation and indirect organogenesis. LC-MS glycan analysis of plant 4N-HsIFN2b identified complex plant-type glycans\, in dicating Golgi-mediated processing and targeting to the secretory pathway. \n \nBiological activity was assessed using human A375 melanoma cells carr ying an ISRE-mCherry reporter. Plant-produced 4N-HsIFN2b induced activa tion of the IFNAR signalling pathway\, resulting in an approximately three fold increase in reporter activity at 70 ng ml-1 compared with the buffer control\, demonstrating functional activity in human cells.\n\nhttps://ind ico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2888/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2888/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Comparison of imaging methods for RGR determination and early stre ss detection in Lemna minuta grown on buffalo wastewater DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T081000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2968@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Alberto Giuliano (Department of Agricultural Science s\, University of Naples Federico II\, 80055 Portici\, Italy)\nCultivating duckweed (Lemnaceae) on livestock wastewater represents a leading strateg y for the circular bioeconomy\, particularly relevant in Campania (Italy)\ , where about 80% of the national buffalo herd is concentrated and where s ustainable wastewater management is a priority challenge. \nSeveral image analysis techniques are now available to calculate the relative growth rat e (RGR) of these macrophytes\, ranging from classic RGB imaging to more so phisticated chlorophyll fluorimetry-based approaches\, yet a systematic co mparison of their reliability is still lacking\, particularly under physio logical stress. In this work\, Lemna minuta (clone LER035) was grown on oz onated buffalo wastewater at different total ammoniacal nitrogen (TAN) con centrations\, and RGR was calculated using three imaging methods — RGB c amera\, light-adapted PAM fluorimetry\, and dark-adapted PAM fluorimetry — to compare their agreement.\nAmong the treatments showing a positive R GR\, the treatment based on centrifuged digestate at low nitrogen concentr ation (50 mg L⁻¹ TAN\, DC_low) was the only one to outperform the contr ol (0.343 vs. 0.307 day⁻¹). Overall\, light-adapted PAM and RGB showed a high\, robust correlation (ρ = 0.988)\, confirmed when separately analy zing the positive-RGR (ρ = 0.980) and negative-RGR (ρ = 0.916) subgroups . Under stress\, however\, the two methods were not numerically interchang eable\, with divergence ranging from negligible in healthy treatments to m arked (+0.141 on average) in stressed ones. \nThe RGB method therefore rem ains valid for RGR determination\; however\, PAM technology detects stress well ahead of RGB\, identifying growth decline approximately 4 days earli er in 81% of stressed replicates and capturing impaired photosynthetic eff iciency before visible tissue disintegration.\n\nhttps://indico.unina.it/e vent/117/contributions/2968/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2968/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Assessment of field-grown duckweed biomass by spectral indices DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T081000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2967@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Dóra Szilágyi (Department of Botany\, Faculty of S cience and Technology\, University of Debrecen)\, Viktor Oláh (Department of Botany\, Faculty of Science and Technology\, University of Debrecen)\n High phenotypic plasticity of duckweeds affects their biomass productivity . Reliable estimation of biomass quantity and quality\, hence\, are import ant when culturing duckweed outdoors. Spectral proxies\, that is\, indices derived from light reflectance and transmittance\, became fundamental in crop production\, but their application on duckweeds has only been reporte d scarcely.\nWe aimed at sampling naturally occurring duckweed populations and analyzing their biomass with analytical (dry matter and protein conte nts) and optical (hyperspectral reflectance and transmittance) approaches due to test applicability of the latter proxies. A total of n=20 duckweed and water samples were analyzed from 10 sites in the Trans-Tisza region (E -Hungary) during two sampling campaigns in June and September of 2025.\nTh e sampled waters showed wide gradients of N- and P-concentrations\, but bi omass dry matter and protein contents showed no significant correlation wi th the nutrient availability. Similarly\, neither seasonality\, nor specie s-specific patterns were found in biomass traits. Cell phone imaging prove d to be reliable in estimating plant biomass (Pearson’s correlation: p<0 .001) under field conditions. We could not establish link\, however\, betw een the reflectance- (e.g. NDVI\, PBI) and transmittance-based (CCI) indic es\, and the biomass composition\, respectively. Our results highlight\, t hat duckweed biomass traits cannot be predicted mechanistically from spect ral indices\, but customized approach is needed for particular application s.\nThis research was funded by the NKFIH OTKA grant No. FK 134296\, and w as supported by the János Bolyai Research Scholarship of the Hungarian Ac ademy of Sciences\, by the University of Debrecen Program for Scientific P ublication\, and by the Tempus Public Foundation.\n\nhttps://indico.unina. it/event/117/contributions/2967/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2967/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Clone-dependent germination and post-dormancy growth of ABA-induce d turions in Spirodela polyrhiza DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T081000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2966@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Raja Amri ()\nTurions\, the vegetative dormant organ s\, are vital for some duckweed species\, enabling their survival under ha rsh conditions. We studied the turion germination and then sprouting of fo ur Spirodela polyrhiza clones. Turions were collected from 7-day old growt h cultures treated by 0.5 µM abscisic acid (ABA) in Steinberg medium. Ger mination tests were performed under continuous light for 7 days\, immediat ely after harvesting the turions or after cold storage in darkness. The gr owth and photosynthetic activity of turion-derived fronds was compared wit h those developed in non-ABA treatment\, culture-derived fronds. Germinati on capacity of turions was clone-specific. Immediately after harvesting\, turions of UD0402 and UD0408 germinated readily at 81.2% and 73.3%\, where as those of UD0401 and UD0407 germinated poorly at 8.7% and 0.0%\, respect ively. The cold storage influenced differently the turion germination: in creased largely in UD0401\, moderately in UD0407 while decreased in UD0402 and UD0408.Turion-derived fronds of UD0401\, UD0402\, and UD0407 showed g reater frond area\, and lower LMA and LDMC than the culture-derived fronds \, suggesting reserve-supported area expansion in the former ones\, rather than increasing dry-matter accumulation. However\, there were no differen ces in these traits between the two frond types of UD0408. Independently o f turion storage duration\, the turion-derived fronds showed mostly compar able physiological traits to culture-derived fronds. Consistently\, the ch lorophyll fluorescence results showed that\, turion-derived fronds reached similar levels of photosynthetic activity. Overall\, the results show tha t exogenous 0.5 µM ABA was able to trigger turions formation of all studi ed clones\, but the germination success depended on the clone and the stor age duration.\n\nhttps://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2966/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2966/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Vegetable Protein from Edible Aquatic Plants: Safe\, Sustainable P roduction and Resilience Against Climate Change DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T080500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2965@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Marcio Carocho (Bragança Polytechnic University)\nT he growing demand for sustainable food has driven the development of alter native protein sources with a lower environmental impact. Lemna minor emer ges as a promising alternative due to its high protein content\, essential amino acid rich profile\, rapid growth\, and high adaptability to adverse environmental conditions. The goal of this project is to explore this spe cies as a sustainable source of protein for the food industry. To this end \, protocols will be established to characterize the nutritional\, chemica l\, and bioactive profile of the produced biomass\; compare and optimize t he growth of L. minor in two culture media (Hoagland and Steinberg)\; asse ssing the effect of factors such as temperature\, light intensity\, and ph otoperiod on biomass production\, protein content\, and antioxidant activi ty\; developing sustainable methods for protein extraction and isolation\; and incorporating the obtained proteins into plant-based food products. T he proposal aims to contribute to the development of innovative\, environm entally sustainable protein ingredients by promoting the utilization of hi gh-productivity\, low-impact aquatic resources. The proposed project invol ves multidisciplinary research groups (IPB/PT\, UVIGO/ES\, MORE/PT) with d iverse expertise in the food and environmental sectors. The objectives des cribed are in line with the EU Strategy for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainabl e Development and aim to address food security issues and promote circular food systems in the region.\nAcknowledgements to FCT/MCTES(PIDDAC): CIMO\ , UIDB/00690/2020 (DOI:10.54499/UIDB/00690/2020) and UIDP/00690/2020 (DOI: 10.54499/UIDP/00690/2020)\; and SusTEC\, LA/P/0007/2020 (DOI:10.54499/LA/ P/0007/2020). Also to FCT for institutional scientific employment program- contracts of S. A. Heleno and M. Carocho. F. Macedo alto thanks FCT for hi s PhD grant (2023.04962.BD).\n\nhttps://indico.unina.it/event/117/contribu tions/2965/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2965/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Insights into flowering induction and reproductive development in duckweeds DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T080500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2964@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: MARIA ADELAIDE IANNELLI (Istituto di Biologia e Biot ecnologia Agraria (IBBA-CNR) - Montelibretti)\nDuckweeds (Lemnaceae) are t he smallest flowering plants and reproduce predominantly through vegetativ e propagation\, while flowering occurs only rarely under natural and labor atory conditions\, limiting breeding and germplasm conservation. Although salicylic acid (SA) efficiently induces flowering in several duckweed spec ies\, the molecular mechanisms regulating floral transition remain largely unknown.\nFollowing the identification of the Mediterranean hybrid Lemna × mediterranea (L. minor × L. gibba\; Braglia et al.\, 2024)\, we invest igated SA-induced flowering competence in parental (L. minor and L. gibba) and hybrid L. × mediterranea clones. Plants were grown in natural minera l water supplemented with 20 µM SA\, and flowering frequency\, vegetative growth\, and developmental traits were quantified. To identify molecular determinants associated with flowering competence\, the expression of key components of the florigen activation complex such as FLOWERING LOCUS T (F T) protein and transcription factor FD protein\, was compared among the di fferent genotypes.\nTo further dissect the molecular basis of floral induc tion\, L. minor strain 5500 was selected for transcriptomic analysis. RNA sequencing of fronds collected at key developmental stages following SA tr eatment was used to characterize temporal transcriptional responses. \nThi s integrated phenotypic and transcriptomic approach provides new insights into genotype-dependent flowering competence and SA-mediated floral transi tion in duckweeds\, advancing our understanding of reproductive developmen t in L. minor and L. × mediterranea and providing a foundation for improv ed flowering induction\, breeding\, and germplasm conservation.\n\nhttps:/ /indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2964/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2964/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Cobalt-Driven Restructuring of the Duckweed Endophytic Microbiome Enhances Bioavailable Vitamin B₁₂ DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T080500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2962@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Dalia Rishmawi ()\nVitamin B₁₂ (cobalamin) is es sential for animal and human metabolism\, while plants neither synthesize nor require it. Yet\, aquatic plants such as duckweeds can accumulate bioa vailable B₁₂ synthesized by their endophytic microbiome. We hypothesiz ed that cobalt\, the central metal ion in cobalamin would enhance B₁₂ accumulation by altering endophytic community structure and function. To t est our hypothesis\, we cultivated the rooted duckweed species Lemna minor and Spirodela polyrhiza and the rootless species Wolffia globosa across a cobalt gradient\, ranging from 0 to 1 µM (just below the reported toxici ty threshold). We quantified growth and bioavailable B12\, profiled the co rresponding endophytic bacterial communities and examined B₁₂ partitio ning between roots and fronds.\nResponses to cobalt were species-specific. In L. minor\, B₁₂ increased by up to fivefold without affecting growt h rate. Cobalt explained 54% of the variation in bacterial community compo sition and significantly altered the abundance of Novosphingobium and Rose omonas. In S. polyrhiza\, B₁₂ increased by up to threefold\, while cob alt explaining 38% of the variation in community composition and significa ntly influencing alpha diversity and overall community structure. In W. gl obosa\, B₁₂ increased significantly at the highest cobalt concentratio n without detectable changes in community composition\, suggesting regulat ion through microbial activity rather than taxonomic replacement. B₁₂ localization was also species-specific\, with significantly greater accumu lation in the roots of S. polyrhiza than in those of L. minor. These findi ngs demonstrate that cobalt enhances microbiome derived B₁₂ accumulati on in duckweed and provides a practical strategy for improving the nutriti onal value of duckweed biomass.\n\nhttps://indico.unina.it/event/117/contr ibutions/2962/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2962/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Investigating siRNA-mediated silencing in duckweeds\, a potential model for translational repression in plants DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T080500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2961@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Laura Diezma-Navas (Gregor Mendel Institute)\nIn euk aryotes\, post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS) involves the producti on of small\ninterfering RNAs (siRNAs) and their incorporation into ARGONA UTE (AGO) proteins. The\nresulting siRNA–AGO complex mediates mRNA cleav age and/or translational repression\,\nleading to degradation via RNA deca y pathways and ultimately resulting in reduced protein\nexpression. In pla nts\, mRNA cleavage is believed to be the main mode of action of siRNAAGO complexes\, and although translational repression has been shown\, it is n ot yet well\nunderstood. Interestingly\, in duckweeds\, a group of small a quatic flowering plants\, siRNAmediated transgene silencing causes strong loss of protein synthesis\, while mRNA levels\nremain largely unchanged. O n the contrary\, loss of siRNA results in resoration of protein\nlevels. T his observation suggests that translational repression\, rather than mRNA\ ndegradation\, may be a predominant mechanism of gene regulation in this g roup of plants.\nTo investigate this hypothesis\, we are exploiting transg ene silencing in duckweeds to\nanalyze the fate and turnover of mRNAs\, ta rgeted or not by siRNAs\, using a combination of\npolysome profiling\, SLA M-seq\, and ribosome footprinting. Understanding silecing\nmechanisms in d uckweeds will expand the knowledge of silencing mechanisms\, mostly\ninves tigated in a handful of plant models\, and potentially provide further ins ights into their\ntranslational repression mechanisms.\n\nhttps://indico.u nina.it/event/117/contributions/2961/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2961/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Integrating Duckweed into a Chain Brine Users: Enhancing the valu e of Desalination Byproducts DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T080500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2960@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Gideon Oron ( Zuckerberg Water Research Institute\, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Dessert Research\, Ben-Gurion University o f the Negev\, Kiryat Sde-Boker\, Israel\; The Department of Industrial Eng ineering and Management\, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev\, Beer-Shev a 8410500\, Israel)\nDesalination brine is increasingly recognized as a po tential resource rather than a waste stream requiring disposal. This study presents a modelling strategy for sequentially reusing desalination conce ntrate for food production\, fish culture (food) and irrigation of salt-to lerant halophytes crops\, including Atriplex lentiformis and Salicornia bi gelovii. The proposed system follows a serial structure in which brine is progressively utilized through duckweed cultivation\, fish production\, an d halophyte irrigation. The halophyte component is particularly relevant t o the Ramat Negev region\, where groundwater salinity is approximately 4.4 dS/m\, demonstrating the feasibility of saline-water agriculture under lo cal conditions. S. bigelovii plant is emphasized because of its high produ ctivity\, nutritional value\, livestock acceptability\, and broad salinity tolerance. For a small reverse-osmosis plant processing 50 m³ d⁻¹ and generating 27 m³ d⁻¹ of concentrate with an electrical conductivity o f 20.3 mS/cm\, the model estimates that 0.36 ha of cultivated land would b e required to utilize the entire concentrate stream. The system could prod uce approximately 10.3 metric tons of forage annually\, potentially suppor ting 37 goats or sheep\, 11 camels\, or 5 cattle. Although the estimated c rop value is modest (approximately €467/(ha*yr)\, the principal benefit is resource recovery: converting desalination brine into livestock feed wh ile reducing concentrate disposal. The approach is scalable according to b rine availability\, land resources\, and livestock demand.\n\nhttps://indi co.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2960/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2960/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Transcriptomic and morphological responses to salt stress in Wolff ia australiana DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T080500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2959@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Caroline Henry (Donald Danforth Plant Science Center )\nIn the face of climate change and the demand for more sustainable alter natives to industrial operations\, duckweed plants are utilized across a d iverse set of applications – from wastewater treatment\, to feedstock pr oduction\, to bioenergy and bioproduct generation. The *Wolffia* genus is the smallest and fastest-growing known angiosperm\, making it of particula r interest for duckweed research\, as well as plant biology more broadly. With these plants becoming more relevant under an increasingly volatile cl imate\, it is crucial to understand stress susceptibility of these plants. Here we examine early salt stress response in *Wolffia australiana* plant s over time and under different degrees of salt stress. We examined the ph enotypic effects of different salt concentrations (0mM\, 50mM\, 100mM\, 15 0mM) on growth rate and chlorophyll content. All concentrations of salt st ress resulted in decreased growth rate compared to the 0mM control\, as we ll as a persistent increase in chlorophyll content. Given that 100mM produ ced the clearest stress phenotype without being lethal to the plants\, we assessed transcriptomic response at this concentration via bulk RNA-sequen cing over a 48-hour timecourse\, which identified specific genes\, gene fa milies\, and functional pathways involved in response to salt stress. Gene s upregulated under stress tended to be enriched in metabolic processes an d stress response\, whereas downregulated genes were enriched in reproduct ive and biosynthetic processes. This study will provide important insights into the mechanisms of salt stress response in *Wolffia*\, and how they d iffer from other plants.\n\nhttps://indico.unina.it/event/117/contribution s/2959/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2959/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Physiological and Transcriptomic Responses of Spirodela polyrhiza to Distinct Colonization Strategies by Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T080500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2958@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Karnjana Ruenpham (Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering\, University of Yamanashi)\nDuckweeds (Lemnac eae) are rapidly growing aquatic plants with potential as sustainable feed stocks for human nutrition\, animal feed\, biofuel production\, and wastew ater bioremediation. In natural environments\, duckweed coexists with dive rse microbial communities\, forming a complex host-microbiome assemblage k nown as a holobiont. Within this assemblage\, duckweed-associated plant gr owth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) play a critical role in enhancing duckweed growth through direct and indirect mechanisms. However\, the specific mech anisms driving strain-specific growth promotion remain largely uncharacter ized. Therefore\, this study aimed to elucidate these mechanisms by compar ing the effects of two PGPB with distinct colonization strategies—*Terri microbium* sp. PS02 and *Aeromicrobium* sp. PS05—on the growth\, biochem ical composition\, and transcriptomic profile of the giant duckweed\, *Spi rodela polyrhiza*. Under SEM observation\, strain PS02 attached to the duc kweed surface through the aggregation of 1–3 cells\, while strain PS05 f ormed filamentous extracellular polymeric substance (EPS)-mediated microco lonies. These distinct colonization strategies aligned with bacterial cell density\, where PS05 established approximately one order of magnitude hig her bacterial populations than PS02. Both PGPB strains enhanced duckweed b iomass\, yielding 1.2- and 1.4-fold increases\, respectively. Markedly\, b oth strains enhanced starch accumulation and turion formation without redu cing protein or photosynthetic pigment content. Transcriptomic profiles de monstrated that PS05 regulated carbohydrate biosynthesis and carbon alloca tion. This study provides integrated evidence linking bacterial colonizati on strategy\, biomass production\, and host transcriptomic regulation\, al lowing us to better understand the mechanisms required for engineering hig h-performance duckweed–microbiome systems for sustainable biomass produc tion.\n\nhttps://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2958/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2958/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Duckweed production at an IMTA system in Ireland DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T080500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2957@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Clair Margot (University College Cork)\nIntegrated M ulti-Trophic Aquaculture is an aquaculture system in which extractive spec ies (algae\, aquatic plants\, bivalves\, etc.) recycle the waste produced by fed species (fish\, shrimp\, etc.). By integrating organisms from diffe rent trophic levels\, IMTA reduces the potential environmental impacts of aquaculture and improves the sustainability and economic value of producti on systems.\n\nThe CIRCULAR-IMTA-DEMO pilot site at Mount Lucas\, County O ffaly\, Ireland\, comprises an IMTA farm producing 30 tonnes of rainbow tr out in four split-ponds. Fish effluents are directed into 16 channels (12\ ,800 m²) where duckweed is cultivated. Duckweed removes nutrients\, impro ving water quality for recirculation while producing valuable biomass. The main duckweed species are *Lemna minor* “Blarney” and *Lemna gibba* “Keywater”\, together with a spontaneous hybrid.\n\nStudies conducted in 2019 and 2020 estimated a production potential of 35–48 t yr⁻¹ of dry duckweed biomass (Paolacci et al.\, 2022). However\, productivity rema ins dependent on environmental conditions\, including fish density and fee ding regime\, which determine waste production.\n\nFollowing six years of inactivity\, the site has restarted and has undergone structural changes. Vegetation has expanded within and around the channels\, providing shelter and shade. However\, the invasive aquatic plant *Elodea nuttallii* remain s a problem\, competing for nutrients. A diverse fauna\, including swans\, herons\, amphibians and insects\, has become established. Swans consume l arge amounts of duckweed\, prompting the construction of exclusion zones. In addition\, heatwave events in July 2026 caused changes in water physico chemical properties\, affecting trout and duckweed production. Our work ai ms to identify management strategies to maintain duckweed growth under var ying conditions\n\nhttps://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2957/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2957/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Haplotype-resolved genome assembly and single-nucleus sequencing p rovide insights into the simplest flower development in Wolffia microscopi ca DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T080500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2956@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Abhisek Chakraborty (Johannes Gutenberg University o f Mainz\, Germany)\nEvolution does not always lead to increased complexity \, and in plants\, the loss of floral organs is a recurring phenomenon acr oss different lineages. However\, the mechanisms behind this simplificatio n remain poorly understood. To investigate the evolutionary processes lead ing to floral organ loss\, duckweeds\, especially *Wolffia microscopica*\, provide an ideal system because of the smallest flowers with the simplest morphology – with a single stamen and a unicarpellate gynoecium\, which are even simpler than the model species *Arabidopsis thaliana*\, yet with essential genetic makeups. Therefore\, by integrating single-nucleus mult i-omics with comparative genomics\, we ask the specific questions: i) whic h floral cell-types remain in this smallest flowering plant? and ii) which cell-types and genes are showing evolutionary signatures? \n\nWe construc ted a haplotype-resolved genome assembly of *W. microscopica* with a total size of 666.5 Mb\, consisting of 20 chromosomes and 12\,623 protein-codin g genes. We performed single-nucleus RNA-Seq and single-nucleus ATAC-Seq ( 10\,720 nuclei) to identify all cell-types\, including the male and female floral cell-types. We identified the marker genes and the transcription f actor-binding motifs enriched in the floral cell-types\, which could be re sponsible for establishing and maintaining the floral cell-type identities . Further\, we performed natural selection and gene family evolution analy ses to understand the evolutionary mechanisms underlying the development o f the world's simplest flower. The detailed single-nucleus multi-omics and evolutionary insights aid in uncovering the fundamental genetic mechanism s and regulatory networks responsible for the development of the simplest flowers\, which likely represent the minimal controls of sexual reproducti on in plants.\n\nhttps://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2956/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2956/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Dietary supplementation with Lemna minor mitigates the metabolic a lterations induced by ingestion of PLA nanoplastic in a rat model DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T080500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2955@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Martina Lombardi (University of Salerno\, Dept. Medi cine\, Surgery and Dentistry\; "Scuola Medica Salernitana")\, Andrea Viggi ano (University of Salerno\, Dept. Medicine\, Surgery and Dentistry\; "Scu ola Medica Salernitana")\nPolylactic acid (PLA) has gained considerable in dustrial relevance\, often considered an environmentally preferable materi al\, but it can actually undergo fragmentation\, generating micro- and nan o-plastics (MPs/NPs)\, whose biological consequences are still insufficien tly characterized. In the present study\, we used an untargeted metabolomi cs approach to investigate the in vivo metabolic alterations associated wi th chronic oral exposure to PLA-NPs and to determine whether supplementati on with Lemna minor (LM) could modulate the metabolic response to PLA-NPs. Wistar rats were randomly allocated to four experimental groups: untreate d controls (CTR)\, oral PLA-NPs exposure (0.05 mg/ml in drinking water)\, dietary LM supplementation (20g/day)\, and combined PLA-NP and LM treatmen t. Fecal samples were collected at baseline (T0) and after 14 (T1) and 21 days (T2) of treatment and analyzed by liquid chromatography–mass spectr ometry (LC–MS) using a high-resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometer. PLA-N Ps exposure induced a broad metabolic rearrangement\, mainly involving pat hways related to bile acid homeostasis\, energy regulation and microbial m etabolism. Co-supplementation with LM partially counteracted the metabolic alterations induced by PLA-NPs. At T1\, LM shifted bile acids\, branched- chain fatty acids\, and acylcarnitines toward CTR levels\, suggesting modu lation of bile acid homeostasis\, microbial fermentation\, and lipid utili zation. At T2\, partial normalization extended to metabolites involved in carbohydrate\, lipid\, and nucleotide metabolism. Although residual differ ences from untreated CTR persisted\, these data support a partial rescue o f the PLA-NP-associated metabolic phenotype. Collectively\, our findings d emonstrate that PLA-NPs can induce profound disturbances in metabolic home ostasis and provide a strong rationale for further investigating LM as a p otential nutritional countermeasure.\n\nhttps://indico.unina.it/event/117/ contributions/2955/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2955/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Pollination and seed development in Lemna aequinoctialis DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T080500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2954@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Anna Kolehmainen (Institute of Organismic and Molecu lar Evolution (iomE)\, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz)\nDuckweeds pos sess some of the most highly reduced flowers among angiosperms\; however\, their sexual reproduction is poorly understood. Although flowering can be induced in multiple duckweed species under controlled conditions\, succes sful seed set remains limited. A better understanding of pollination is re quired to establish controlled crossing systems\, while reliable seed prod uction is essential for the broader application of duckweeds in genetic st udies. Here\, we characterize the progression of flowering\, pollination\, and seed development in *L. aequinoctialis* (genotype KSS014)\, a duckwee d species in which we can reliably produce seeds. We define distinct devel opmental stages from floral initiation to mature seed formation and establ ish their temporal progression. Under an 8-hour photoperiod\, flowering is initiated 7–10 days after induction\, after which an individual flower completes development within 2–3 days. Flower maturation proceeds throug h the simultaneous emergence of the pistil and first anther\, followed by asynchronous emergence of the second anther\, formation of a stigmatic liq uid droplet associated with fertilization\, and the onset of seed developm ent. Seed maturation is completed approximately 10 days after fertilizatio n. Based on these developmental stages\, we propose the optimal timeframe for crossing in *L. aequinoctialis*. Together\, these findings provide a p ractical framework for controlled fertilization and seed production\, faci litating the use of duckweeds in genetic engineering and breeding applicat ions.\n\nhttps://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2954/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2954/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Direct and indirect effects of snail herbivory on Spirodela polyrh iza in a two-year outdoor experiment DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T080500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2950@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Martin Schäfer (Institute of Organismic and Molecul ar Evolution (iomE)\, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz)\nPredicting the outcome of species interactions in complex communities requires separatin g the direct effects that organisms have on each other from those that fun ction indirectly through their influence on other community members and th e environment. We performed a two-year outdoor experiment with 14 mesocosm s containing the giant duckweed\, *Spirodela polyrhiza*\, in the presence or absence of its aquatic snail herbivore\, *Lymnaea stagnalis*. We analyz ed the snail effects on the aquatic community and the evolutionary consequ ences for the duckweed. The direct and indirect effects of snails turned o ut to be often antagonistic. In the first year\, snail herbivory reduced t he duckweed abundance by direct grazing but also promoted duckweed growth indirectly by reducing algae competition and increasing phosphate availabi lity\, thereby shifting plant traits and genotype frequencies. In the seco nd year\, the ponds experienced an algae bloom and strong phosphate deplet ion which abolished and reversed various effects and trait-fitness associa tions observed in the previous year. Over the two years\, the direct effec ts were observed to be stronger but fluctuating\, while the indirect effec ts were weaker but more consistent. The results highlight the need for mul tiple season experiments with complex communities to understand the forces in species interactions that drive evolution.\n\nhttps://indico.unina.it/ event/117/contributions/2950/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2950/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Modulation of silver nanoparticle phytotoxicity by surface coating and microplastic co-exposure in Lemna minor DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T080500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2949@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Sandra Vitko (University of Zagreb\, Faculty of Scie nce\, Department of Biology\, Croatia)\nSilver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and m icroplastics (MPs) are among the most prevalent emerging contaminants in f reshwater ecosystems\, yet the role of nanoparticle surface coating in mod ulating phytotoxicity\, particularly under co-exposure conditions\, remain s poorly understood. To address this\, we examined the individual and comb ined effects of two surface-coated AgNPs\, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (AgCTAB) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (AgPVP)\, and two MPs\, polystyrene (PS) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)\, on the duckweed Lemna minor over a 7- day exposure period. Control plants were grown without the addition of AgN Ps or MPs. Relative growth rate\, chlorophyll a fluorescence (JIP-test)\, pigment content\, and expression of photosynthesis-related genes were asse ssed on days 1\, 3\, and 7. AgPVP-based combinations with MPs (AgPVP+PS\, AgPVP+PMMA) induced the most pronounced physiological stress from the earl iest timepoint\, while AgCTAB and AgPVP alone caused moderate effects on d ay 1. By day 3\, stress in AgPVP-treated plants intensified\, whereas AgCT AB-exposed plants showed signs of recovery towards control values. On day 7\, AgPVP+PS remained the most severely affected treatment\, while plants treated with AgPVP and AgPVP+PMMA displayed partial recovery\, though with persistently reduced growth suggesting lasting physiological consequences . The observed physiological responses in the most affected treatments ind icate a decline in photosynthetic efficiency\, ultimately resulting in red uced plant growth. These results highlight the coating-dependent nature of AgNP phytotoxicity and suggest that microplastic co-exposure may modulate \, but not eliminate\, the adverse effects of AgNPs on aquatic macrophytes .\n\nhttps://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2949/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2949/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Intra-specific variation in growth and photosynthetic responses of duckweed Lemna gibba to manganese DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T080500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2948@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Amare Fassil Abebaw (Doctoral School of Natural Scie nces\, Szent István Campus\, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences)\nAbstract\nThis study investigated the growth and physiological responses of four Lemna gibba clones (UD0101\, UD0103\, UD0106\, and UD01 14) following 7-day exposure to Mn (0.05–160 mg L⁻¹) under controlled conditions (Steinberg’s medium containing 0.05 mg Mn L⁻¹). Growth wa s assessed using frond area relative growth rate (RGRFA) and frond number relative growth rate (RGRFN). Photosynthetic performance was evaluated usi ng Fv/Fm\, Y(II)\, Y(NPQ)\, and Y(NO). All clones were affected at Mn conc entrations ≥20 mg L⁻¹\, whereas UD0103 showed growth inhibition from 5 mg L⁻¹. Under control conditions\, RGRFA ranged from 0.287 day⁻¹ ( UD0106) to 0.334 day⁻¹ (UD0101)\, while RGRFN ranged from 0.269 day⁻ ¹ (UD0106) to 0.294 day⁻¹ (UD0101)\; UD0103 and UD0114 showed intermed iate growth rates. At 160 mg Mn L⁻¹\, RGRFA relative to the control ind icated Mn tolerance in the order UD0101 (50%) > UD0114 (40%) > UD0103 (27% ) > UD0106 (25%). Despite growth inhibition\, Fv/Fm remained at or slightl y above control levels (99–108%) in UD0101 and UD0106\, whereas UD0103 a nd UD0114 showed reduced Fv/Fm at ≥20 mg Mn L⁻¹\, reaching minima of 94.9% and 95.2% of the control\, respectively. Similarly\, increasing Mn c oncentrations reduced Y(II) in all clones. At 40 mg L⁻¹\, Y(NPQ) increa sed significantly\, peaking at approximately 1.8-fold and 1.7-fold above t he control in UD0106 and UD0114\, respectively. In contrast\, UD0101 maint ained stable Y(II)\, Y(NPQ)\, and Y(NO)\, whereas UD0103 showed the greate st increase in Y(NO) and a reduced Y(II). These findings suggest that UD01 03 could serve as a bioindicator of Mn pollution\, whereas UD0101 shows po tential for phytoremediation.\n\nhttps://indico.unina.it/event/117/contrib utions/2948/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2948/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Cellular-level visualization of salinity stress responses in Wolff ia australiana DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T080500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2947@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Hayley Sussman ()\n*Wolffia australiana* offers a un ique opportunity to study spatial variation in stress responses given a sm all portion of its tissue is exposed to air while the remainder is submerg ed in water\, creating distinct above- and below-water regions within a ph ysically condensed space (<1 mm in diameter). As a result\, in a high sali ne environment\, the below-water region has direct exposure to sodium chlo ride\, while the above-water tissue does not. Previous research has shown which gene regulatory networks are induced during salinity stress across t he whole tissue of a variety of duckweed species. However\, the spatial or ganization of these transcriptomic responses has not been elucidated. As a first step towards addressing this question\, we sought to identify where sodium ions accumulate spatially and the corresponding physiological impa cts. To visualize the cellular-level physiological impact of salinity st ress on *W. australiana*\, this project uses fluorescent stains and indica tors under confocal microscopy. CoroNa Green\, a cell-permeant compound th at fluoresces upon binding sodium ions\, is used to spatially observe sodi um ion accumulation. In tandem\, we spatially observe and quantify both ch lorophyll autofluorescence and reactive oxygen species production as proxi es for photosynthetic productivity and oxidative stress\, respectively. To gether\, these measurements reveal cellular-level differences in stress ex posure\, suggesting compartmentalized stress responses between the above- and below-water tissues.\n\nhttps://indico.unina.it/event/117/contribution s/2947/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2947/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Small RNA biogenesis in Duckweeds DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T080500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2946@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Filipp Krasnovid (Gregor Mendel institute\, Vienna B iocenter PhD Programm)\nSmall RNA silencing pathways in plants play crucia l roles in development\, antiviral resistance\, and transposon control. Th ere are two types of silencing: transcriptional gene silencing (TGS) and p ost-transcriptional (PTGS). TGS acts via the RNA-directed DNA methylation pathway and 24nt-long small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). PTGS functions at t he mRNA level\, where viral or transgene RNA transcripts trigger the forma tion of 21nt- and 22nt-long siRNAs that target AGO proteins toward these t ranscripts leading to their cleavage and degradation.\n\nDuckweeds have si mplified their silencing pathways and challenge the current model of PTGS in several ways. Dicer-like protein 2 (DCL2)\, the protein responsible for the production of 22nt siRNA\, conserved among plants\, is lost in duckwe eds\, yet we observe 22nt siRNA in all three species studied in our lab. T ransgenic silencing in Lemna minor is characterised by the equal presence of both 21nt- and 22nt-long siRNAs\; transient expression of an inverted r epeat (IR) in *Spirodela polyrhiza* and in *Wolffia brasiliensis* results in the production of both 21nt and 22nt siRNA derived from this IR. These 22nt siRNAs\, in turn\, do not seem to trigger transitivity\, the silenci ng amplification process\, despite the presence of all the necessary eleme nts that we know of. \n\nThe goal of our project is to understand the biog enesis of 22nt-long siRNA and find the mechanisms responsible for the diff erence in PTGS functioning in duckweeds\, including transitivity — a phe nomenon that is not well understood even in conventional models such as Ar abidopsis.\n\nhttps://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2946/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2946/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Application of duckweed as an organic amendment for food productio n. DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T080500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2945@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Natasha Manyenga (BETA Technological Centre-Universi ty of Vic-Central University of Catalunya (BETA- UVIC- UCC))\nIntensive sw ine farming generates nutrient-rich wastewater that\, if mismanaged\, pose s environmental risks but also offers opportunities for resource recovery. Duckweed\, noted for its rapid growth and high nutrient-uptake capacity\, offers a promising solution for wastewater treatment and holds untapped p otential for agricultural valorisation. This study investigated duckweed c ultivated on both swine wastewater and mineral fertilizer to produce a nut rient-rich biomass for application as an organic amendment\, thereby enhan cing sustainable food production.\nAgronomic evaluations were conducted to assess the potential of duckweed as an organic amendment in comparison to mineral fertilizer and raw manure. Duckweed biomass\, both dried and fres h\, was tested in a 52-day pot experiment with spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa). Additionally\, wheat (Triticum aestivum) wa s grown for 168 days under laboratory conditions. The findings indicate th at duckweed-based amendments\, when combined with raw manure\, enhanced th e growth and biomass accumulation of spinach\, lettuce and wheat\, outperf orming the mineral fertilizer treatment. The fertilizing potential of the produced biomass\, in both dried and fresh forms\, was demonstrated to be comparable to the use of raw manure and other inorganic fertilizers.\nThe integrated use of duckweed with raw manure further enhances soil nutrient cycling through synergistic effects on mineralization\, reinforcing the ap proach of combining organic nutrient sources to optimize crop performance and soil health. Duckweed-based amendments reduce nutrient losses\, slowly releasing nutrients\, and enabling wastewater bioremediation and producti on of nutrient-rich biomass that supports sustainable crop production and soil regeneration.\n\nhttps://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2945 / LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2945/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Towards a Zero-Waste Duckweed Biorefinery: Pulse Electric Field an d High-Pressure Assisted Fractionation for Enhanced Recovery of Functional Ingredients DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T080500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2944@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Anim Ujong (Technological University Dublin and Teag asc Food Research Centre)\nDuckweed is a sustainable aquatic biomass with potential for biorefinery applications owing to its rapid growth and rich proteins\, starch composition\, and bioactive compounds. However\, convent ional processing methods often fail to efficiently fractionate its compone nts\, limiting biomass valorization. This study investigated aqueous fract ionation assisted by pulsed electric field (PEF) and high-pressure process ing (HPP) as non-thermal pretreatments to enhance the recovery of function al duckweed ingredients. PEF was applied at 12 and 24 kV (9 µs\; 5 or 10 treatment cycles) or HPP at 200\, 400\, and 600 MPa for 5 min\, followed b y centrifugation and fractionation into (i) an aqueous extract rich in phe nolic compounds\, minerals\, and soluble proteins and (ii) a solid fractio n enriched in starch\, dietary fiber\, and residual proteins. Protein solu bilization increased with HPP pressure (27.91–28.44%) and PEF electric f ield strength (26.10–27.80%)\, while additional PEF cycles had minimal e ffects. Starch enrichment in the pellet increased with higher treatment in tensity (4.50-5.32%)\, whereas phenolic recovery was enhanced by PEF\, rea ching 13.8 µmol/g at 24 kV-10 cycles\, and by HPP\, with the highest reco very at 200 MPa (18.52 µmol/g). Functional characterization showed superi or foaming capacity in aqueous extracts\, reaching 236% after HPP (400 MPa ) and 345% after PEF (12 kV-10 cycles)\, while pellet fractions exhibited greater water-holding and fat-binding capacities. Thermal analysis and FTI R indicated structural modifications and molecular rearrangement without s ignificant chemical degradation. Overall\, HPP- and PEF-assisted aqueous f ractionation represents a promising approach for duckweed valorization and the the sustainable production of multifunctional food and biobased ingre dients.\n\nhttps://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2944/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2944/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:A Trait Lost for Millions of Years: Investigating the Loss of Root Hairs in Duckweed DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T080500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2943@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Rebecca Fairburn (The University of Nottingham)\nCha nges in morphology have occurred frequently over the course of plant evolu tion\, and in some cases involve the loss of entire organs or structures\, yet the mechanisms that underpin organ loss are not well understood. We a re using duckweed as a model to understand organ loss. As duckweed evolved \, they experienced a dramatic reduction in anatomical complexity. Their r oots losing the ability to take up nutrients\, branch\, and produce root h airs. In some species roots are lost entirely. This project aims to provid e knowledge on how structures and traits and the networks which encode the m are lost or reduced over time. \n\nUsing a combination of bioinformatics \, molecular genetics\, and tissue culture techniques\, we aim to identify genes regulating root hairs that are missing in duckweed and then reintro duce homologs from related species using transgenic approaches. This proje ct will give insights the complex genetic pathways that determine plant or gan loss and evolution. Additionally\, reintroducing genes that complete a hypothesised ancestral genetic pathway\, will precede further synthetic b iology projects\, which aim to transfer complex genetic networks between o rganisms and unlock the benefits of ancestral genomes. This\, all while fi rmly cementing duckweed as a plant of the future.\n\nhttps://indico.unina. it/event/117/contributions/2943/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2943/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:How Long Do Plants Remember? Transgenerational Stress Memory in a Duckweed-Aphid System DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T080500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2942@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Enrico Diniz Rodrigues Batista (Institute of Organis mic and Molecular Evolution\, University of Mainz)\nTransgenerational plas ticity is considered a flexible and rapid adaptive mechanism that enables organisms to respond to environmental change over relatively short evoluti onary timescales. However\, how long these effects persist and the extent to which they influence organismal fitness remain largely unknown. Here\, we investigated these questions using the giant duckweed (Spirodela polyrh iza) and its native herbivore\, the waterlily aphid (Rhopalosiphum nymphae ae). We exposed clonal duckweed lineages to aphid herbivory for ten consec utive generations and subsequently allowed them to recover under herbivore -free conditions for 1\, 3\, 5\, 7\, or 9 generations. We then grew the de scendants in the presence and absence of aphids to assess their transgener ational responses. Duckweed exhibited a remarkably persistent stress memor y: the ancestral herbivory environment fundamentally altered the growth of descendant fronds across multiple subsequent generations. Ancestral aphid feeding enhanced plant growth in the absence\, but not the presence\, of renewed herbivory. This pattern suggests that previously stressed plants o vercompensate by accelerating growth once herbivore pressure is removed\, rather than by increasing resistance to recurring attack. Remarkably\, anc estral aphid herbivory also enhanced aphid fitness\, even after nine gener ations without herbivore exposure. Together\, these findings demonstrate t hat duckweed possesses a long-lasting\, multigenerational stress memory th at herbivores may exploit to their own advantage.\n\nhttps://indico.unina. it/event/117/contributions/2942/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2942/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Species-Specific Growth Inhibition by Extracellular Self-DNA in a Two-Species Duckweed Community and Its Association with Oxidative Stress DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T080500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2941@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Wilhelmus Terang Arga Sanjaya (7Department of Soil S cience and Land Resources\, Faculty of Agriculture\, IPB University)\nExtr acellular self-DNA has emerged as a species-specific regulator of plant gr owth\, yet its effects and physiological responses in aquatic plants remai n poorly understood. This study investigated whether extracellular self-DN A preferentially inhibits growth in a two-species duckweed community and w hether this response is associated with oxidative stress. Lemna perpusilla and Spirodela polyrhiza were exposed to self-DNA\, non-self DNA\, and mix ed DNA. A dose–response assay using genomic DNA solutions ranging from 0 to 2\,000 ng µL⁻¹ identified the most inhibitory treatment. Growth wa s evaluated using frond number\, root number\, root length\, fresh biomass \, and dry biomass. Species specificity was examined by co-cultivating bot h species and exposing the culture separately to DNA from each species. Ph ysiological responses to self-DNA at 1\,000 ng µL⁻¹ were assessed thro ugh reactive oxygen species (ROS)\, superoxide dismutase (SOD)\, peroxidas e (POD)\, catalase (CAT)\, and malondialdehyde (MDA). Self-DNA caused stro nger inhibition than non-self DNA and mixed DNA. In the two-species commun ity\, L. perpusilla DNA reduced L. perpusilla fresh biomass by 76.5% but S . polyrhiza by only 3.2%. Conversely\, S. polyrhiza DNA reduced S. polyrhi za fresh biomass by 93.3% but L. perpusilla by only 14.5%\, demonstrating reciprocal species-preferential inhibition. Self-DNA also increased ROS ac cumulation by 39% in L. perpusilla and 54% in S. polyrhiza\, accompanied b y enhanced SOD\, POD\, and CAT activities and elevated MDA levels. These f indings show that extracellular self-DNA preferentially inhibits its sourc e species within a mixed duckweed community and that this response is asso ciated with oxidative stress\, supporting investigation of self-DNA recogn ition and species-targeted aquatic plant management.\n\nhttps://indico.uni na.it/event/117/contributions/2941/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2941/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Self-DNA Effects on Growth\, Oxidative Stress\, and Nutritional Qu ality of Lemna perpusilla: In Vitro DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T080500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2940@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Jesis Silvano (IPB University)\nDuckweed (Lemna sp.) is a promising alternative ruminant feed due to its rapid growth and high protein content. However\, extracellular self-DNA released from plant tis sues may exert species-specific inhibitory effects on microbial activity\, a phenomenon remaining unexplored in rumen systems. This study evaluated the effects of Lemna supplementation and Lemna-derived self-DNA on in vitr o rumen fermentation characteristics. Five dietary treatments were evaluat ed: P0 (basal diet: 60% forage\, 40% concentrate)\; P1 (60% forage + 36% c oncentrate + 4% Lemna self-DNA)\; P2 (60% forage + 36% concentrate + 4% Le mna control)\; P3 (50% forage + 30% concentrate + 20% Lemna self-DNA)\; an d P4 (50% forage + 30% concentrate + 20% Lemna control). Rumen pH\, $\\tex t{NH}_3\\text{-N}$\, total volatile fatty acids (VFA)\, and VFA profiles w ere determined post-in vitro incubation. Rumen pH and $\\text{NH}_3\\text{ -N}$ concentrations were not significantly affected by treatments (P > 0.0 5). Conversely\, total VFA production and composition were significantly a ltered (P < 0.05). The highest total VFA concentration was observed in P3\ , followed by P2 and P1\, indicating enhanced fermentation with higher Lem na inclusion. Notably\, treatments containing self-DNA tended to produce l ower fermentation responses than their respective controls\, suggesting a potential inhibitory effect on microbial activity. Additionally\, acetate proportion decreased while propionate and butyrate increased\, shifting to ward more efficient fermentation pathways. In conclusion\, while Lemna nut rients stimulate rumen fermentation\, its self-DNA partially modulates mic robial activity through inhibitory mechanisms\, highlighting the importanc e of considering both nutritional and molecular factors in plant biomass e valuation.\n\nhttps://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2940/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2940/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Sustainable Commercialization of Duckweed Production in Malaysia DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T080500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T082500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2952@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Derek Juinn Chieh Chan (Universiti Sains Malaysia)\n Duckweed is a sustainable biomass resource capable of high-value protein p roduction\, carbon sequestration\, nutrient recovery\, and water purificat ion. This study evaluated the feasibility of commercial-scale duckweed pro duction in Malaysia through pilot-scale cultivation\, sequential nutrient optimization\, drying process development\, and life cycle assessment (LCA ). A two-stage sequential media strategy was employed to optimize biomass growth and nutrient accumulation independently. Pilot-scale cultivation su ccessfully reproduced laboratory-scale performance\, demonstrating scalabi lity while maintaining species-specific characteristics. *Lemna minor* ach ieved the highest relative growth rate (0.227 day⁻¹) with 36.8% protein (dry weight)\, whereas *Spirodela polyrhiza* accumulated 50.2% protein un der sustained low-nitrogen conditions. *Wolffia globosa* exhibited unique metabolic traits\, producing both high carbohydrate (50.7%) and protein (4 4.0%) contents under prolonged high-nitrogen cultivation. Drying condition s (40–55°C) significantly affected nutrient retention\, pigment stabili ty\, powder properties\, and downstream processing suitability\, enabling biomass quality to be tailored for specific applications. LCA identified e lectricity use (80.4 kg CO₂-eq kg⁻¹ dry biomass) and water production (39.8 kg CO₂-eq kg⁻¹) as the major environmental hotspots. Neverthel ess\, cultivation of *L. minor* and *S. polyrhiza* achieved net carbon rem oval of 33.6 kg CO₂-eq kg⁻¹ dry biomass through biogenic carbon seque stration. Furthermore\, integrating photovoltaic electricity transformed * W. globosa* cultivation into a net carbon sink\, sequestering 81.0 kg CO ₂-eq kg⁻¹ dry biomass. These findings demonstrate that optimized cult ivation and processing strategies can support application-specific duckwee d production while enhancing environmental and economic sustainability in tropical regions.\n\nhttps://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2952/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2952/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Bioremediation of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus (Burchell\, 1822)) recirculating aquaculture system process water with duckweed Lemna minor L. (9440) DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T075500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T081500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2963@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Alexej Sonnenfeld (University of Rostock)\nThe prese nt study evaluated the suitability of recirculating aquaculture system (RA S) process water from African catfish (*Clarias gariepinus*) for cultivati ng *Lemna minor* (9440) in a greenhouse system. An indoor vertical farming (IVF) system for decoupled aquaponics was developed and implemented.\nCul tivation in process water had no significant effect on frond area or frond weight\, while root length increased significantly. Nutrient and amino ac id composition remained within ranges reported in the literature\, with pr otein contents exceeding 32% in all treatments. Biomass productivity reach ed 3.0 g DW/m²/d in the control and 2.6 g DW/m²/d in both process water treatments.\nThese results indicate that RAS process water is a suitable cultivation medium for *L. minor* (9440) without compromising biomass qual ity.\n\nhttps://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2963/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2963/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Optimizing agitation rate and hydraulic retention for wastewater r emediation by Lemna species and Azolla filiculoides DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T073500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T075500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2953@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Jingrou Chen (University College Cork\, Ireland)\n*L emnaceae* (duckweeds) and *Azolla*\, are floating aquatic plants\, that ex hibit rapid growth in nutrient-rich waters and have considerable potential for biomass production using wastewater derived nutrients. This study eva luated *Lemna* species and *Azolla filiculoides* (*Azolla*) growth perform ance on industrial meat processing effluent under controlled laboratory co nditions. Growth effects of agitations (0\, 30\, 60\, 90\, 120 rpm) and su rface covers (10\, 20\, 40\, 80%) were investigated over 7 days (Exp.1)\, followed by continuous cultivation of *Azolla* under different hydraulic r etention times (HRT\; 3\, 5\, 7 days) at 10% surface cover for 15 days (Ex p.2). *Lemna minor* and *Lemna minuta* exhibited great growth at 60 rpm\, achieving RGRs of 0.290 ± 11.34 day⁻¹ and 0.293 ± 2.23 day⁻¹\, res pectively. *Azolla* cultivated at lower-moderate surface covers at 60 rpm achieved the highest RGR (20%: 0.10 ± 0.006 day-1). For Exp.2\, 3-day HRT supported greater growth (RGR: 0.067 ± 0.002 day-1) than 5- and 7-day HR Ts for 9 days. Findings provide insights into the development and optimisa tion of floating macrophyte-based phytoremediation systems and plant bioma ss generation.\n\nhttps://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2953/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2953/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Understanding Flowering in Lemna DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T071500Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20261002T073500Z DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260916T061315Z UID:indico-contribution-446-2951@cern.ch DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Anne Lincoln (Plant and Crop Sciences\, School of Bi osciences\, University of Nottingham)\nThis poster centres around explorin g the flowering response potential of *Lemna minor*\, a species not known to be able to flower in laboratory conditions. We use phylogenetic assays to identify potential regulators of flowering in *L. minor* to better unde rstand the potential mechanism behind flowering in this species\, and use modern molecular biology to identify the regulation of these elements in c onditions designed to induce flowering. We also explore the function of or thologous components in *Lemna aequinoctialis*\, a species of duckweed kno wn for its capacity to flower to better understand the mechanism present\, and potentially relate its functionality to other *Lemna* species.\n\nhtt ps://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2951/ LOCATION: Sala Monumentini URL:https://indico.unina.it/event/117/contributions/2951/ END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR