Laboratory, Field and Deep Seawater Culture of Eucheuma serra-a High Lectin Yielding Red Alga

doi:2002.17.2.127

Algae > Volume 17(2); 2002 > Article

Algae 2002;17(2): 127-133. doi: https://doi.org/10.4490/ALGAE.2002.17.2.127

Dinabandhu Sahoo, Masao Ohno, Masanori Hiraoka

Marine Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Usa Marine Biological Institute, Kochi University

ABSTRACT

The red seaweed Eucheuma serra is a high yielding source of lectins. The plants were collected from a depth of 5-6 meters and cultured in the laboratory, field and deep seawater. A Daily Growth Rate (DGR) of 3.5% was observed at 18℃ with a low light of 30 μmol photon m-2?s-1 in the laboratory. When the plants were cultured in the field at different depths during winter months of December and January, best growth was observed at 1 m depth and a DGR of 2.14±0.04% was recorded. The plants grown in the tank with a continuous supply of deep seawater showed a DGR of 8.2%. The results indicate that E. serra can be cultivated in large scale both in deep seawater in the tank and in the field for the extraction of lectins at a commercial scale.

Key words: Eucheuma serra, Deep seawater culture