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Preservation methods of Tolypothrix tenuis for use as a cyanobacterial fertilizer

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Abstract

The suitability of the cyanobacterium Tolypothrix tenuis as a potential biofertilizer was evaluated by measuring cell viability in stored samples preserved by various methods, including freezing at −20°C, freeze-drying, desiccation as flakes and immobilization in alginate beads. The viability recovery and the retained viability index (RVI10) were used as indicators of cell survival after 3 and 15 months storage. The highest recovery level (85%) was obtained by freeze-drying using skimmed milk as the resuspension solution for long-term storage. Dried alginate beads showed a better cell survival (RVI10 0.25) than air-dried flakes (RVI10 −0.63) after 15 months storage. However, desiccated flakes previously treated with Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions improved cell survival capacity at the longest period assayed (RVI10 0.08), extending cell viability by 9 months compared to dried-powder material.

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Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the Secretaría de Ciencia y Técnica, Universidad Nacional de San Luis and the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina.

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  1. Laboratorio de Alimentos Area de Microbiologia, Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis, Chacabuco y Pedernera, 5700, San Luis, Argentina

    Patricia G. Silva, Susana G. Ferrari & Humberto J. Silva

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  1. Patricia G. Silva
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  2. Susana G. Ferrari
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  3. Humberto J. Silva
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Correspondence to Humberto J. Silva.

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Silva, P.G., Ferrari, S.G. & Silva, H.J. Preservation methods of Tolypothrix tenuis for use as a cyanobacterial fertilizer. J Appl Phycol 19, 239–246 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-006-9129-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-006-9129-4

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