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Growth responses to temperature, salinity and nutrient variations, and biomass variation and phenology of Ahnfeltia plicata (Rhodophyta, Ahnfeltiales): a commercially interesting agarophyte from the Magellanic Region, Chile

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Abstract

Ahnfeltia plicata (Hudson) E.M. Fries (Rhodophyta, Ahnfeltiales) is one of the most commercially important agarophytes in the world for its production of agar that is high quality and low in sulfate content. In the Magellanic Region, A. plicata forms extensive beds with high biomass production, which could be commercially exploited for agar production. The purposes of this study were to determine the optimal conditions of temperature, salinity, and culture medium; to evaluate the effects of different types and concentrations of auxins and cytokinins on growth of red and yellow gametophytes; and to provide background information on ecological parameters of natural population of A. plicata. Temperatures of 5, 8, 15, and 23 °C were tested, and the interaction of salinity of 25 and 35 psu with Provasoli enriched medium in half (PES/2) and quarter strength (PES/4), and with von Stosch enriched medium in half (VSES/2) and quarter strength (VSES/4) was also conducted. Concentrations of 5.0 and 50.0 μM of two auxins (indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)), and two cytokinins (isopentenyladenine (iP) and benzylaminopurine) were added to VSES medium and gelled with 0.5 % agar. Each treatment was tested with three replicates. Red gametophytes of A. plicata tolerate a range of temperature variation, from 5 to 23 °C, and the optimum temperature for growth was 15 °C. The highest growth rate was observed in salinity of 35 psu with half strength of von Stosch culture medium. Red and yellow gametophytes showed different responses to plant growth regulators, and red gametophytes were more sensitive than yellow ones to the addition of IAA and high concentration of iP. However, growth of red gametophytes of A. plicata was stimulated by 2,4-D. The differential sensitivity of red and yellow gametophytes to plant growth regulators suggests the need to test other types and concentrations of auxins and cytokinins.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the support from FONDEF and CONICYT, Chile (Project DO8I1163 to AM and Project MEC 80100021 to NSY). Research fellowship from CNPq (Brazil) to NSY is also acknowledged. Dr. T. Contador, E. Velasquez, and Kelly Moses (University of North Texas, USA) were acknowledge for translation and revision of the English manuscript. S. Rosenfeld would like to thank the scholarship provided by the Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity (Chile) (code ICM P05-002) and the Master of Science in Conservations and Management of Sub-Antarctic Ecosystem of the University of Magallanes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio de Macroalgas Antárticas y Subantárticas, Universidad de Magallanes, Casilla 113-D, Punta Arenas, Chile

    Andres Mansilla, Juan Pablo Rodriguez, Sebastián Rosenfeld & Jaime Ojeda

  2. Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad (IEB), Santiago, Chile

    Andres Mansilla & Sebastián Rosenfeld

  3. Instituto de Botânica, Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ficologia, Av. Miguel Estefano, 3687, 04301-012, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Jonatas M. C. Souza & Nair S. Yokoya

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  1. Andres Mansilla
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Correspondence to Andres Mansilla.

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Mansilla, A., Rodriguez, J.P., Souza, J.M.C. et al. Growth responses to temperature, salinity and nutrient variations, and biomass variation and phenology of Ahnfeltia plicata (Rhodophyta, Ahnfeltiales): a commercially interesting agarophyte from the Magellanic Region, Chile. J Appl Phycol 26, 1133–1139 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-013-0150-0

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