Using Duck Potato (Sagittaria latifolia Willd) to Minimize Eutrophication in Florida.

Duck potato, also known as broadleaf arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia Willd.) is commonly used for wetland enhancement, restoration, and creation. It is a C₃ species that is native to the eastern half of the United States and southeastern Canada. It provides habitat and food benefits to waterfowl and improves water quality in wetlands. Duck potato grows in a wide range of fresh water and soil conditions. This species tolerates and assimilates high levels of nutrients and heavy metals and has the potential to improved water quality. The objective of this research is to minimize nutrient losses from agriculture to water bodies by planting Duck potato in ditches or sediments. Three artificial pools were created with tarp and sediments from The University of Florida-IFAS Research and Demonstration Farm in Hastings Florida. The pool size was 1 square meter. Each pool was planted with 30 duck potato seedlings from a commercial company in south Florida on September 25, 2012. The plants were all harvested on March 25, 2013. Biomass, nitrogen and phosphorus were measured and analyzed. The results showed that the species was able to recover the nutrients lost from crop production and minimize eutrophication. Duck potato may have the potential to enhance the environmental sustainability in agricultural areas.