Duckweed is an aquatic plant that's seen as a promising source of protein for humans and animals alike. Duckweed grows in freshwater, and under optimal conditions is 45 percent protein, with a hectare of duckweed producing 10 to 18 tonnes of protein per year. By comparison, the same area of soybeans would produce 0.6 to 1.2 tonnes of protein. Duckweed grows fast — the quantity can double in less than 48 hours — and now the challenge is finding out ways to extract rubisco, the main enzyme present in the leaves and the single most abundant protein on Earth.
Found this article in the excellent Numlock News newsletter, which had the following précis:
Duckweed is an aquatic plant that's seen as a promising source of protein for humans and animals alike. Duckweed grows in freshwater, and under optimal conditions is 45 percent protein, with a hectare of duckweed producing 10 to 18 tonnes of protein per year. By comparison, the same area of soybeans would produce 0.6 to 1.2 tonnes of protein. Duckweed grows fast — the quantity can double in less than 48 hours — and now the challenge is finding out ways to extract rubisco, the main enzyme present in the leaves and the single most abundant protein on Earth.
https://www.numlock.com/p/numlock-news-july-19-2024-viper-gu...