Organic Waste Recycling

Aquatic weeds and their utilization 335

Table 7.4 Proximate composition (% dry weight) of some aquatic plants and alfafa hay
(Boyd 1974)

Species Ash Crude proteina Fatb Cellulosec

Eichhornia

crassipesd

18.0 17.0 3.6 28.2

Pistia

stratiotesd

21.1 13.1 3.7 26.1

Nelumbo luteae 10.4 13.7 5.2 23.6

Nuphar

advenae

6.5 20.6 6.2 23.9

Nymphoides

aquaticaf

7.6 9.3 3.3 37.4

Potamogeton

diversifoliusf

22.7 17.3 2.8 30.9

Najas

guadalupensisf

18.7 22.8 3.8 35.6

Ceratophyllum

demersum f

20.6 21.7 6.0 27.9

Hydrilla

verticillataf

27.1 18.0 3.5 32.1

Egeria densaf 22.1 20.5 3.3 29.2

Typha latifoliag 6.9 10.3 3.9 33.2

Justicia

americanag

17.4 22.9 3.4 25.9

Sagittaria

latifoliag

10.3 17.1 6.7 27.6

Alternanthera

philoxeroidesg

13.9 15.6 2.7 21.3

Orontium

aquaticumg

14.1 19.8 7.8 23.9

Alfaalfa hay 8.6 18.6 2.6 23.7
aNitrogen x 6.25.
bEther-extractable material.
cCellulose values are slightly lower than values for crude fibre.
dFloating species.
e Floating-leaved species.
f Submerged species.
g Emergent species.
Note: -Each value is the average of 3-15 samples
-All samples represent plants, which were in lush, green stage of growth.