Abstract
The unchecked growth of Eichhornia crassipes can cause significant harm, including covering of the water surface, depletion of oxygen, clogging of river channels, and promotion of the breeding of flies and mosquitoes. These effects can significantly impact farmland irrigation, water transportation, and human health. However, methods for controlling its growth are not ideal, and control using biological and chemical agents can result in secondary pollution. The utilization of E. crassipes as a resource, for example, as animal feed or organic substrates, can not only turn waste into valuable resources, but it can also solve the problem of its growth, thus bringing about economic and ecological benefits. In this paper, the growth and ecological characteristics of E. crassipes, its nutrient composition, and resource utilization approaches were reviewed. The challenges associated with the large-scale utilization of E. crassipes were also analyzed in order to provide references for the control and resource utilization of the species. Regarding challenges such as the difficulty of cultivation and the high cost of harvesting and dehydrating, it is necessary to investigate the proper water surface and coverage characteristics of E. crassipes cultivation to assure adequate biomass and protect the ecological landscape. It is also necessary to evaluate the effect of E. crassipes cultivation on the health of aquatic ecosystems and the safety of the water environment in order to prevent the significant potential ecological and environmental risks. In addition, developing portable, high-efficiency facilities to promote the effectiveness of harvesting, transportation and dehydration are needed, as well as further improvement in the techniques of utilization and assessment of the economic value.
Highlights
Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms, known as water hyacinth, is native to the Amazon Basin in South America [1] and it was introduced into China in the 1930s
The results showed that the addition of gum arabic and water hyacinth in the basal diet did not affect the slaughter rate
It is undeniable that the early introduction of water hyacinth in China greatly promoted the development of the livestock and poultry industries
Summary
Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms, known as water hyacinth, is native to the Amazon Basin in South America [1] and it was introduced into China in the 1930s. Due to the popularization of formulated feeds, the utilization rate was reduced, and it has gradually become wild, especially in urban rivers and eutrophic waters in inner lakes. Resources 2018, 7, 46 effect slowly, and chemical control is costly and mostly used in the case of severe infiltration of water hyacinth. Mechanical control is seen as the best short-term solution to the proliferation of this plant, it is costly and requires the use of both land and water vehicles. Water hyacinth control should be combined with its utilization as a resource. The growth and ecological characteristics of E. crassipes, its nutrient composition and resource utilization approaches were reviewed. To use water hyacinth as a resource and design the scale of treatment, first, one must understand the ecological characteristics of this plant and estimate the growth of its biomass.
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