The Nutritive Value of Three Species of Water Weeds

C L A U D E E. BOYD 1 In a recent paper (2), the possibility of utilizing common flesh-water pest plants as feedsttfffs was considered. Based on leaf protein extraction data, chemical analyses of dehydrated samples and standing crop estimations, a number of species appeared to be potential food plants. Further research on the biological value of aquatic plants and the economic feasibility of their utilization was suggested. Three of the most serious aquatic pest plants (6), water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) and Hydrilla sp. were not included in the previous research (2). These plants occur in almost all tropical and subtropical nations (6). All three species produce dense monospecific stands which often cover hundreds of hectares. Therefore, methods for their utilization would develop an important resource in many areas. Several studies (6) have indicated that E. crassipes can be used as a forage. However, there is a paucity of information on the nutritive value of E. crassipes and almost no data are available for P. stratiotes and Hydrilla sp. The present research is an evaluation of the chemical composition of these species. Plants were harvested and washed as previously described (2). Fresh material was killed by heating at 105 ~ C for 30 rain. Temperature was then reduced to 50 ~ C and plants were dried for 72 hr. Total available carbohydrate (TAC) was determined by the Weinmann method (9). Analytical methods for crude protein, ash, cellulose, ether extract, caloric content, and moisture have been reported elsewhere (2). A dry ashing procedure (4) was used to convert phosphorus and cations to a suitable form for analysis. Phosphorus was determined by the 1, 2, 4-aminonaphtholsulfonic acid technique, and calcium and magnesium were measured by versenate titration (4). Potassium was estimated by flame photometry. A total sulfur procedure outlined by Sanford and Lancaster (8) was employed. Results a n d Discussion

Materials and Methods

Samples were collected from sites in southern Florida near Ft. Lauderdale and in central Florida within a 60 mile radius of Orlando. Sampling was conducted during late April, 1968. In order to obtain information on variation in chemical composition of natural stands, samples were collected from a variety of environmental situations. Number of stands sampled for each species was: E. crassipes 15, P. stratiotes 11, and Hydrilla sp. 10. 1Assistant Professor, Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama. Present Address: Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, c/o U. S. Atomic Energy Commission, Savannah River Operations Office, P. O. Box A, Aiken, South Carolina. Received for publication November 6, 1968. 123

Proximate analyses. Results of proximate analyses (oven dry basis) are reported in Fig. 1. There were only slight differences in mean crude protein values for the three species. There was a wide range in values for each species, but standard errors were relatively narrow. Mean crude protein levels were as high as values reported for many high quality forages (7). Aquatic plants have been reported generally to contain much more moisture than crop plants (2). Therefore, on a fresh basis, aquatic plants were lower in crude protein than freshly cut forages. As expected, dry matter values for water weeds in the present research were very low (Table 1), and crude protein levels for all fresh samples were below 2.0%. As with almost all other species of aquatic plants studied (2), these three species would have to be dehydrated prior to use as a feed. Cellulose values varied considerably, but mean levels for E. crassipes and P. stratiotes were much lower than for Hydrilla sp. These levels (26 to 32%) were generally higher than those reported for most other water

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Fig. 1. Proximate composition (dry wt. basis) of Eichhornia crassipes (1), Pistia stratiotes (2), and Hydrilla sp. (3). The mean is indicated by the horizontal line, the heavy vertical line represents_ one standard error, and the light vertical line indicates the range. plants (2), but not higher than those found in some forage crops (7). TAC content was variable for the three species. Mean levels for E. crassipes and Hydrilla sp. were similar, 7.8 and 6.6%, respectively, but the minimum P. stratiotes value of 8.4% was higher than mean values for the other two species. Available carbohydrate values as high as 6 to 8% have been reported for several other species of aquatic plants (5). Forage species generally conTABLE DaY 1

M A T T E R AND CRUDE P R O T E I N C O N T E N T OF FRESHLY HARVESTED W A T E R WEEDS

Species Eichhornia crassipes Pistia stratlotes Hydrilla sp.

Dry Matter (% ) 5.9 5.9 8.0

Crude Protein (%) 0.94 0.78 1.37

tained less TAC (7) than aquatic plants. Ether extract content was extremely variable, but mean values for all species were about 3.5%. These figures were similar to those reported for other water weeds (2) and somewhat higher than ether extract values for most forage crops (7). Ash values for individual samples of each species were rather similar. Mean values ranged from 17.0 to 27.6%. Previous research (2) indicated that submersed plants contained very large quantities of ash. The submersed Hydrilla also had a very high ash content. P. stratiotes and E. crassipes are floating plants not rooted in the substratum. Ash values for the floating plants were more similar to levels reported for submersed plants than to those for emergent aquatic plants (2). I n o r g a n i c nutrients. Mean levels of five inorganic nutrients are presented in Fig. 2. Individual samples of all species

BOYD:

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varied greatly, but the values are useful for comparison between species. The highest mean phosphorus value was for E. crassipes. The largest percentage of sulfur was in P. stratiotes. Calcium content of P. stratiotes was about twice that of E. crassipes, and Hydrilla sp. contained about two times as much calcium as P. stratiotes. Magnesium was remarkably constant for all species. Potassium levels ranged from 4.4% in E. crassipes to 2.9% in Hydrilla sp. These five elements generally comprise most of the ash content of plants. For some samples, total quantities of these nutrients failed to equal the ash content. This discrepancy was apparently caused by rather large quantities of silt which accumulated on the plants and was not removed by washing. Silt would be present in samples harvested for forage and from a practical point of view represents a portion of the inorganic fraction of the plants. Amino acid analyses. Two samples of each species were selected for amino acid determinations. Values for amino acids (Table 2) were similar to those reported for many conventional forages of similar

crude protein content (1). Quantities of methionine and lysine, generally considered the limiting amino acids in plant proteins, were lower than in certain high quality crop plants. There were no large differences in the comparative amino acid composition of these water weeds. Approximately 73 to 83% of the crude protein content of the samples could be accounted for in amino acids. Since tryptophan was not included in the analyses, it can be assumed that not over 20% of the total nitrogen was in the form of non-protein nitrogen. Utilization. Analyses of dehydrated samples indicated that all three species contained rather large amounts of crude protein and had rather satisfactory levels of essential amino acids. Mineral nutrient, ether extract, and available carbohydrate levels were relatively high. The composition of samples taken from different stands exhibited considerable variation. The chemical composition of aquatic plants changes appreciably as the plants age (Boyd, unpublished data). Samples for the present study were collected from lush green stands of approximately the same age; so the differ-

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TABLE 2 AMINO ACre COMPOSmON OF WATER WEEDS

% Dry weight Analysis Crude protein Actual proteina Lysineb Histidineb Arginineb Aspartie acid Threonine b Serine Glutamie acid Proline Glycine Alanine Cystine Valineb Methionine b Isoleucineb Leucineb Tyrosine Phenylalanineb

Eichhornia crassipes
25.67 19.35 1.13 0.41 1.12 2.82 0.96 0.88 2.39 0.88 1.17 1.33 0.06 1.20 0.37 1.01 1.75 0.75 1.12 26.21 19.55 1.30, 0.43 1.24 2.64 0.98 0.95 2.46 0.97 1.16 1.37 0.05 1.13 0.34 0.99 1.77 0.77 1.00

Pistia stratiotes
21.56 15.75 1.13 0.31 0.52 2.20 0.79 0.80 2.11 0.75 0.97 1.1O 0.06 1.01 0.24 0.81 1.43 0.65 0.87 24.50 19.50 1.30 0.47 1.15 1.90 0.98 0.97 2.61 1.00 1.22 1.39 0.07 1.21 0.38 1.03 1.82 0.82 1.18

Hydrilla sp.
19.94 16.60 1.01 0.32 0.97 1.90 0.83 0.91 1.98 0.82 1.28 1.20 0.09 0.98 0.34 0.80 1.49 0.69 0.99 15,00 10,57 0,43 0.18 0,49 1.33 0.49 0.59 1.25 0.51 1.00 0.68 0.01 0.66 0.23 0.56 1.01 0.55 0.62

a Sum of amino acids. Tryptophan analysis not obtained. b Essential amino acids.
TABLE 3 FERTILIZER UNITS FOE WATER WEEDS

Dry basis N P=O5 1.0 0.7 0.6 K20 5.3 4.2 3.5 N O.1 0.1 0.2

Fresh basis P=O~ 0.06 0.04 0.05 K20 0.3 0.2 0.3

Eichhornia crassipes Pistia stratiotes Hydrilla sp.

2.5 2.1 2.7

ences were attributed to differences in enviromental factors. These findings indicated that the chemical composition of any stand considered for harvest must be determined if the quality control of the product is to be controlled. The plants contained large amounts of moisture. The relationship between moisture content and utilization of aquatic plants has been considered in detail (3). F e e d i n g trials should be initiated for all three species in areas where harvesting appears economically feasible. Another possible use of these plants is as green manures (6). Fertilizer units for

nitrogen and potash were rather high on a dry weight basis, b u t on a fresh weight basis all units were extremely low. Successful use of the plants as green manures appeared doubtful. Acknowledgments Dr. Leon Cunningham, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, very kindly made the amino acid analyses. The technical assistance of Mr. Rocky Santa-Cruz was greatly appreciated. This research was supported by funds from Rockefeller Foundation Grant No. RF-65061. Manuscript preparation was aided b y Contract A T ( 3 8 -

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1)-310 between the University of Georgia and the United States Atomic Energy Commission.

composition of certain freshwater plants of Minnesota III. The nature of the carbohydrates of species of Elodea,

Literature Cited
1. Altschul, A. M. (ed.). 1958. Processed plant protein foodstuffs. Academic Press, New York. 2. Boyd, C. E. 1968. Fresh-water plants: a potential source of protein. Econ. Bot. 22: 359-368. 3. Boyd, C.E. Evaluation of some common aquatic weeds as possible feedstuffs. Jour. Water Hyacinth Control Soc. (In press. ) 4. Jackson, M.L. 1958. Soil chemical analysis. Prentice-Hall, Inc. Englewood Cliffs, N. J. 498 p. 5. Lindstrom, H. V., and W. M. Sandstrom. 1938. Nutritive value and chemical

Myriophyllum, Ceratophyllum, Ruppia, and Ranunaulus. Bull. Minn. Agr. Expt.

Sta. Tech. Bull. 136: 43-47. 6. Little, E. C. S. (ed.). 1968. Handbook of utilization of aquatic plants. Food and Agr. Org. of the U. N., Rome, Italy. 121 p. 7. Morrison, F. B. 1961. Feeds and feeding, abridged. The Morrison Publ. Co., Clinton, Iowa. 696 p. 8. Sanford, J. O., and J. D. Lancaster. 1962. Biological and chemical evaluation of the readily available sulfur status of Mississippi soils. Soil Sci. Soc. of Amer. Proc. 26: 63-65. 9. Weinmann, H. 1944. Semi-micro estimation of reducing sugars. Plant Physiol. 19: 148-156.