On some chemical properties of Wolffia arrhiza (L.) Wimm.

Tóth, László (1962) On some chemical properties of Wolffia arrhiza (L.) Wimm. A Magyar Tudományos Akadémia Tihanyi Biológiai Kutatóintézetének évkönyve, 29. pp. 175-282. ISSN 0365-3005

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Abstract

Our observations made during the cultivation of the W o lffia arrh iza (L.) Wimm. transplanted in the concrete basin in the park of the Biological Institute of Tihany from the reed banks of Lake Velence and the chemical analysis of the mass here obtained have been treated. A medium amount of protein (2.5-3.3 per cent), petroleum-ethersoluble substance (6.9 per cent), a small amount of crude fibres (10-13 per cent) and a strikingly large quantity of ash (23-28 per cent) were found in the dry matter of the Wolffia. In the plants grown under laboratory conditions there was much more a- and b-chlorophyll (0.6, resp. 0.2 per cent) than in the outdoor samples (0.4 resp. 0.1 per cent). No α-carotene was found, and the β-carotene content varied between 24 and 30 mg per cent. The quantity of the other carotene was 80-100 mg per cent. The sugar analysis of the Wolffia yielded a small amount of maltose, a medium amount of glucose and fructose, and much saccharose. The results of outdoor cultures reflect the impact of meteorologic conditions: the highest rate of propagation was observed during the warm, sunny days between June 20 and 30, and between Aug, 1 and 12. Later the rate of propagation was undoubtedly influenced by the mass of algae in the “outlet water” (feeding solution left over from algal suspension, from which the cells were removed by centrifuging) which, owing to the uneven anion adsorption of the algae living in the pond and of the Wolffia plants and to the consumption of phytoplankton carbon dioxide, became strongly alkaline. In the most favourable period, i. e. between June 21 and 30, 95 g of dry matter was produced in the 3 m² basin, that is during one seventh (66 of the total period (66 days) 23 per cent (414 g) of the total crop. We have set ourselves further tasks, such as to examine how the so-called “outlet” water of an alga-growing apparatus can be best utilized for W o lffia cultures and to create a bacterium-free culture for investigating the function of the aquatic vegetation of higher order.

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