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Agar properties of two species of Gracilariaceae from the Gulf of California, Mexico

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Abstract

Agar properties of two potentially commercial important seaweeds from the Gulf of California were studied. Maximum yield in Gracilaria vermiculophylla (45.7%) occurred during the summer months, coinciding with high water temperatures (31°C) whereas minimum yields (11.6%) were obtained during the coldest months of the year when populations of this species diminish in the bay. Gracilariopsis longissima showed two yield peaks, one in spring and another in fall, before the maximum and minimum seawater temperatures. Gel strength in native agar from the two species was low (<22.5 g cm−2) for most of the year. G. vermiculophylla native agar showed a slight increase in gel strength from June to August, which were the hottest months. Maximum value was 85 g cm−1 in August. Maximum gel strength in G. longissima was observed in October (91 g cm−1), and an unusual native agar with no detectable gel strength was observed in March and April samples. Gelling temperatures range from 27.7 to 36.5°C in G. vermiculophyla and from 26.6 to 34.9°C in G. longissima, meanwhile melting points were 73.9 – 53.5°C and 75.5 – 56.6°C, respectively. Sulfate content was high, 6.3–13.9% in G. vermiculophylla and 1.9–11.9% in G. longissima, and on the other hand 3,6 anhydrogalactose content was low 12.1–26.7% and 9.1–23%, respectively compared to other species. Results obtained showed that mean native agar yields of Gracilaria vermiculophylla and Gracilariopsis longissima from the Gulf of California are comparable to other tropical Gracilaria. However, the low gel strength, high sulfate content and low 3,6 anhydrogalactose content observed in the native agar extracted from these species make this an agaroid, thus alternative methods of extraction should be used to evaluate the possibility of commercial utilization of both species.

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Abbreviations

3, 6:

AG

3, 6:

anhydrogalactose

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by CGPI Grant 2004 0268 and CECyT-Sinaloa. J. O-R acknowledges to COFAA and SIP-IPN economic support. We thank the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions that improved this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigación para el Desarrollo Integral Regional, Blvd. Juan de Dios Bátiz Paredes # 250, C. P. 81101, Guasave, Sinaloa, México

    Javier Orduña-Rojas, Karla Y. García-Camacho & Priscila Orozco-Meyer

  2. Becario COFAA-IPN, EDI-IPN, CIIDIR-IPN, Sinaloa, México

    Javier Orduña-Rojas

  3. Programa de Investigación en Botánica Marina, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, La Paz, B. C. S. 23080, México

    Rafael Ríosmena-Rodríguez

  4. Instituto de Investigaciones Oceanológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, A.P. # 453, Ensenada, C. P. 22800, Baja California, México

    Isaí Pacheco-Ruiz & José A. Zertuche-González

  5. Departamento de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica de la Universidad de Sonora, Rosales y Niños Héroes s/n, Hermosillo, Sonora, C.P. 83000, México

    Alf E. Meling-López

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  1. Javier Orduña-Rojas
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  2. Karla Y. García-Camacho
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  3. Priscila Orozco-Meyer
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  4. Rafael Ríosmena-Rodríguez
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  5. Isaí Pacheco-Ruiz
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  6. José A. Zertuche-González
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Correspondence to Javier Orduña-Rojas.

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Orduña-Rojas, J., García-Camacho, K.Y., Orozco-Meyer, P. et al. Agar properties of two species of Gracilariaceae from the Gulf of California, Mexico. J Appl Phycol 20, 169–175 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-007-9202-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-007-9202-7

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