Minimal assay detects population-level senescence in the aquatic plant Lemna minor

Abstract

At the population level, senescence occurs when older individuals have an increased risk of death and reduced reproduction compared to younger individuals. We investigated senescence in the aquatic plant Lemna minor (common duckweed), an important species for plant senescence research. Our objectives were to (1) confirm or refute the presence of population-level senescence in this model species; (2) develop a minimal assay of senescence requiring only once-weekly data collection; and (3) test whether there were appreciable differences in senescence in plants grown in glass compared to polystyrene petri dishes, with an aim to reducing single-use plastic waste and long-term research materials costs.