Laboratory-generated cultivars - enhancing seaweed production

Through the Protect Wildlife Project, the Mindanao State University–Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography (MSU-TCTO) together with the University of the Philippines–Marine Science Institute (UP-MSI), with funding from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), conducted a study on the laboratory generation of seed stocks. Seaweed cultivars farmed in Barangay Tundon were collected: green and brown morphotypes of Kappaphycus striatus var katunay from Tundon Proper and katunay brown and two varieties (seven colors and subul-subul black), believed to be variants of katunay, from Sitio Tihikan. Green, brown and red morphotypes of Kappaphycus alvarezii var tambalang and brown katunay were collected from Barangay Buan . The samples from Barangay Buan were labelled as Tam br-O, Tam red-O, Tam red-Y, Tam gr-Y, Kat gr-O and Kat gr-Y – where Tam stands for tambalang and Kat for katunay; br for brown and gr for green; and O for 30 days of culture and Y for 14 days of culture. Apical portions of the seaweeds were cut and constituted the branch cultures. The branch cultures were propagated and maintained in the laboratory using the von Stosch medium alternated with sterile seawater at a temperature of 25±2°C and salinity of 34 ppt, and illuminated using fluorescent lamps with light intensity of 1500 lux and a 12:12 L:D photoperiod. The results of this study indicate that the collected Kappaphycus alvarezii var tambalang and Kappaphycus striatus var katunay are good materials for micro-propagation since these exhibited good growth performance and yielded carrageenan extracts of good quality. Further, this study produced a large number of propagules through micro-propagation. There are currently 11,626 micro-propagules propagated and maintained in the MSU-TCTO Seaweed Cultivars Laboratory that are viable for out-planting in land-based and sea-based nurseries.