Abstract
Since the establishment of abalone farming, there has been an increase in the demand for Macrocystis as a food source. Therefore, the pressure on natural stock has also augmented and the sustainability of the actual harvesting practices has been questioned. In this article, an attempt to farm Macrocystis pyrifera by zoospores in northern Chile is described; initially under laboratory conditions and subsequently by cultivation in the sea. The experiments were executed during 1 year and two different cultivation methodologies were used: a direct and an indirect method. A maximum frond length of 175 cm was reached and 22 kg m−1of rope was produced after 120 to 150 days of cultivation in the sea. The algae grew under both methodologies, and no differences in algal length and biomass were detected between the two cultivation systems. However, the direct culture method can be recommended for productive and practical reasons.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Buschmann A, Vásquez J, Osorio P, Reyes E, Filún L, Hernández-González M, Vega A (2004) The effect of water movement, temperature and salinity on abundance and reproductive patterns of Macrocystis spp. (Phaeophyta) at different latitudes in Chile. Mar Biol 145:849–862
Camus P (2005) Introducción de especies en ambientes marinos Chilenos: no sólo exóticas, no siempre evidentes. Rev Chil Hist Nat 78:155–159
Corazani D, Illanes J (1998) Growth of juvenile abalone, Haliotis discus hannai Ino 1953 and Haliotis rufescens Swaison 1822, fed with different diets. J Shellf Res 17:663–666
Edding M, Tala F (2003) Develoment of techniques for the cultivation of Lessonia trabeculata Villouta et Santelices (Phaeophyceae: Laminariales) in Chile. Aquaculture Res 34:507–515
Gutiérrez A, Correal T, Santibáñez A, Marcos R, Caceres C, Buschmann A (2006) Farming of the giant Kelp Macrocystis pyrifera in southern Chile for development of novel food products. J Appl Phycol 98:259–267
Hurd C (2000) Water motion, marine macroalgal ecophysiology and production. J Phycol 36:453–472
Hurd C, Durante K, Chia F, Harrison P (1994) Effect of bryozoan colonization of inorganic nitrogen acquisition by the kelps Agarum fimbriatum and Macrocystis integrifolia. Mar Biol 121:167–173
North W, Jackson G, Manley S (1986) Macrocystis and its environment, knowns and unknowns. Aquat Bot 26:9–26
Oliveira E, Paula E, Plastino E, Petti R (1995) Metodologias para cultivo no axénico de macroalgas marinas in vitro. In: Alveal K, Ferrario M, Oliveira E, Sar E (eds) Manual de métodos ficológicos. Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, pp 429–447
Pizarro C (2003) Evaluación de una técnica de ensilado para el alga Macrocystis pyrifera y observación de su consumo por parte del abalón rojo (Haliotis rufescens). Tesis de Licenciatura en Ciencias de la Acuacultura, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Chile
Seymour R, Tegner M, Dayton P, Parnell P (1989) Storm wave induced mortality of giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, in southern California. Estuarine Coast Shelf Science 28:277–292
Viana T, López L, Salas A (1993) Diet development for juvenile abalone Haliotis fulgens. Aquaculture 117:149–156
Vásquez J (2008) Production, use and fate of Chilean brown seaweeds: re-sources for a sustainable fishery. J Appl Phycol 20:457–467
Vásquez J, Fonck E, Vega M (2001) Comunidades submareales rocosas dominadas por macroalgas en el norte de Chile: diversidad, abundancia y variabilidad temporal. In: Alveal K (ed) Sustentabilidad de la biodiversidad. Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile, pp 351–366
Vásquez J, Vega M, Buschmann A (2006) Long term studies on El Niño–La Niña in northern Chile: effects on the structure and organization of subtidal kelp assemblages. J Appl Phycol 18:505–519
Vega A, Vásquez J, Buschmann A (2005) Population biology of the subtidal kelps Macrocystis integrifolia and Lessonia trabeculata (Laminariales, Phaeophyceae) in a upwelling ecosystem of northern Chile: interannual variability and El Niño 1997–1998. Rev Chil Hist Nat 78:33–50
Westermeier R, Patiño D, Piel M, Maier I, Mueller D (2006) A new approach to Kelp mariculture in Chile: production of free-floating sporopyte seedlings from gametophyte cultures of Lessonia trabeculata and Macrocystis pyrifera. Aquaculture Res 37:164–171
Westermeier R, Patiño D, Müller D, Dieter G (2007) Sexual compatibility and hybrid formation between the giant kelp species Macrocystis pyrifera and M. integrifolia (Laminariales, Phaeophyceae) in Chile. J Appl Phycol 19:215–221
Zúñiga S, Acuña E (2002) Informe final estudio identificación y caracterización de las oportunidades en el sector acuícola de la Región de Atacama. Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to the staff of Cultivos Marinos Flamenco Ltda. and Edwin Martínez for field assistance and technical support. We also thank Eurico C. Oliveira and Fadia Tala for discussions and comments made on the manuscript
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Macchiavello, J., Araya, E. & Bulboa, C. Production of Macrocystis pyrifera (Laminariales; Phaeophyceae) in northern Chile on spore-based culture. J Appl Phycol 22, 691–697 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-010-9508-8
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-010-9508-8