This review is organized under four major divisions of aquatic macrophytes: algae, floating macrophytes, submerged macrophytes and emergent macrophytes. It covers aspects concerned with the production and/or cultivation techniques and use of the macrophytes in their fresh and/or processed state as feed for farmed fish. Efficiency of feeding is evaluated by presenting data on growth, food conversion and digestibility of target fish species.
The paper provides information on the different processing methods employed and results obtained to date with different species throughout the world with particular reference to Asia. Finally it gives information on the proximate and chemical composition of most commonly occurring macrophytes, their classification and their geographical distribution and environmental requirements.