AQUATIC PLANTS IN AQUACULTURE

Kanchanaree Pongchawee, Ph.D.

Aquatic Plants and Ornamental Fish Research Institute

Introduction

Aquatic plants are plants whose photosyntically active parts are permanently or at
least, for several months each year submerged in water or float on the surface of water. All
vascular plants that may be encounterage growing in permanent or seasonally semipermanent
water are included. There are many plants, paticulary in tropics, which grow on rocks or trees
by streams, rivers and waterfalls. After rain they may be submerged in swiftly flowing water,
sometimes for only a few hours or a days at atime. These plants are called rheophytes and,
although specialized for this kind of habitat.

Fresh water macrophytees play a very important role in aquatic ecosystems. They
provide, either directly or indirecly, food, shelter and variety of habitats for a large number of
organisms, including wildfowl and economically important fish. It must be mention that rice,
an aquatic plant, is the most important single crop species in the world. Many other aquatic
plants are also of use to men as food, raw materials for industrial processes, building materials
and manure in agriculture. Aquatic plants absorb dissolved minerials and enrich water with
oxygen produced during photosynthesis. These property are of benefit to man as they assist in
the maintenance of cleanwater and the help in the recovery of polluted water. Hower, in
disturbs or newly constructed bodies of water rampant growth of aquatic plants may interfere
with man’s use of freshwater. They may obstruct water flow, navigation or water intake. They
may also create conditions faverable for pests, diseases and vector affecting humans, animals
and crop plants.

Aquatic plants biology

Plant anatomy

Although some plants lack a central stem, and plants such as mosses and ferns do not
produce flowers, the anatomy of most plant can be split into four basic zones; the root stem,
leaves, and flowers. All these parts play a vital role in the plant’s basic functions, including
growth, reproduction, nutrient-collection and storage.

1. Root
The root of most aquatic plants are combination of a number of central
roots,with many smaller root trailing off. Terrestrial part roots have fine hairs for trapping
moisture, but these are not present in aquatic plants, although they may develope when grown
out of water. Some aquatic plants produce roots from rhizome that attaches to rocks and wood.
Many aquatic plants grow from bulbs or tuber, which contain large reserves of nutrients.

2. Stem
A stem is present in most aquatic plants and performs two basic functions:
support and transport. The stem’s function is aided by supporting gass- or air-filled cell that
provide buoyancy and help to keep the plant upright. Since the serrounding water provides
much of a plant’s support, aquatic stem are often much thinner more flexible than terrestrial

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stems. Flexible stems allow the plant to move with the water, rather thantry to hold steady
against it, risking damage.

3. Leaves
The leaves of a plant are essentialy tools forcoolecting sunlight to use in the
process of photosynthesis. Gas exchange and some collection of nutrients is also carried out
by the leaves. The leaves of errestrial plants have a thick, waxy outer layer called cuticle,
which protects the plant from drying out. In aquatic plants this layeris muchthinner and liquid
able to pass through much more easily, which help to plant to take up nutrients. Aquatic
plants that produce aerial leaves often ahow two different leaf shapes below and above the
water. This due to different environments and a change of cuticle layer.

4. flowers
Although not all aquatic plants are likely to produce flowers in the aquarium, the
majority are flowering plants and will produce seeds and reproduce by flowering in nature.
The flower are usually produced above water, where they can be pollinated by insects, just as
terrestrials ones are. Some aquatic plants produce flowers beneath the water surface. In these
instances, the seeds are capable of floating downstream and a few species do not produce
flowers at all, prefeering to reproduce by purely asexual means.

The useful of aquatic plants

1. The use of aquatic plants for livestock feed and fertilizer

2. The use of aquatic plants for waste treatment
3. The use of aquatic plants for production of phycocolliods
4. The use of aquatic plants for ornamental purposes

Grouping of Aquatic Plants on the basis of natural habits ecology

1. Floating plants
Floating plants that live in surface layer of the water. Their roots float freely and
their leaves may be on the surface, as in Lemna and Riccia. Though Riccia is a floating plant,
it can be tied down on rocks or driftwood and grown fully submerged.

2. Submerged plants
Submersed plants that are rooted in the bottom and have leaves and stems that grow
permanently under water. All photosynthetic parts submerged, assume to be the bottom-
rooted.

3. Emerged plants
Some photosynthetic parts in contact with air, assume to be bottom rooted with
assimilating parts in air. They may also flower under water or above water. This group
includes many aquarium plants such as Barclaya and Nymphaea.

4. Suspended plants
Plants rooted in the bottom but with leaves reaching the water surface. They usually
have well developed root and fragile stems. The flower as a rule above the water surface and,
unlike the preceding group, they develop more conspicuous flowers. Land forms can develop.

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5. Amphibious plants or marginal plants

Amphibious plants that can grow under water as well as on dry land. In the water they
develop submersed as well as floating leaves and/or emerged aerial leaves. These are mainly
bank side plants, of which many are important in the aquarium.

The aquarium plants

The role of aquatic plants in such dynamic aquatic ecosystem is so vital that the
survival of other aquatic inhabitants such as fishes and other aquatic animals solely depend on
its existence. As these plants, otherwise known as primary producers serve as the basis of
food chain. They form the primary source of food for herbivores and later these herbivores
become prey to the carnivores. Aquatic Plants are also the major source of oxygen for aquatic
animals, its existence is crucial for maintaining the biological equilibrium of fresh water
ecosystem. Fresh water planted aquarium is an symbolises dynamic fresh water ecosystem.

Aquarium Plant Propagation

1. Sexual propagation
In plants the flowers are termed perfect or bisexual if they have both the male and
female organs. The ovary is at the base of pistil, while pollen is produced toward the tip of the
stamens in the anthers. Bisexuality is probably the most common condition in aquatic plants.
Propagation from seeds in necessary in the case of plants that do not reproduce vegetatively
(Aponogeton), and species such as Echinodorus which reproduce faster and more abundantly
by seed than vegetatively.

2. Asexual Propagation
Vegetative propagation is well known to aquarists. Some aquatic plants reproduced by
rhizomes, others by roots. Many species of aquatic plants reproduced through large or small
portions being able to root and continues growing after being removed from the parent plant..
This ability to produce new roots is so strong in some species that even parts of leaves will
root. Runner cutting is the most widely used method and normally the easiest.

2.1 Runner cutting

Plants with short stem axis from runners, at the end of which young plants
develop. Most of the runner plants like Vallisneris, Sagittaria etc. are propagated this way.

2.2 Stem cutting

Stem plants are propagated by cuttings. That is, by segments of stem axis which
are placed in the ground, where they develop roots at the stem nodes. In genera Ludwigia,
Elodea, Ammania, Alternanthera, and Hygrophila new cuttings are commonly taken from the
axil of the main plant.

2.3 Rhizome division

The rhizomes of Cryptocoryne species, Echinodorus species, and other plants
branch prolifically. At the ends of these lateral shoots there arise young plants that can be
detached for purpose of propagation. If rhizomes are separated from the parent plant, new
plants will develop from the dormant buds on them and become separated in the course of
time. This is most useful in plants with a cylindrical rhizome that is long and creeping, such as
Anubias and Acorus.

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2.4 Adventitious plants

Adventitious plants develop on various parts of parent plant. For example, in
water ferns (Microsorium pteropus) from bud along the leaf margins, in Hygrophylla species
at the point of abscission of individual leaves that have been allowed to float on the water
surface.

3. Micropagation
Aquatic plants are propagated in a sterile environment using just part of the plant like
the meristematic region or the undifferentiated prothallus of a fern. Plants are generally grown
in clear plastic or glass containers under controlled lighting and temperature. Normally a
sterile jelly like medium is used (agar or similar) that has nutrients and sometimes antibiotics,
hormones etc. to control the plants growth. Once the plants have reached a suitable size they
are taken out of the container and hardened in greenhouse conditions. Most Anubias species
are produced this way.

Aquarium Plant Cultivation

1. Terrarium culture
This method for amphibian and marginal plants that can grow on dry land and wet land.

1.1 Soiless culture

1.2 Hydroponics system

2. Submerged culture

Advanced Freshwater Aquaculture: Aquatic Plants in Aquaculture