Abstract
Epiphytism of filamentous red algae is a serious problem in Kappaphycus farms in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Tanzania. The causative organism of epiphyte outbreak has been identified as Neosiphonia apiculata (Hollenberg) Masuda and Kogame, but its actual effect on carrageenan quality has not yet been established. Therefore, yield and quality of carrageenan from healthy and infected specimens were examined. Infected specimens showed 20.5 ± 2.5 % DW lower carrageenan yield compared with the healthy seaweed (65.5 ± 4.2 % DW). Infected specimens also had a higher phenolic and fatty acid content, compared with healthy specimens. The carrageenan from the infected seaweed showed 74.5 ± 2.8 % lower viscosity, 52.6 ± 3.6 % lower gel strength, 22.9 ± 1.5 % higher syneresis, and 5 °C higher melting temperature as compared with carrageenan from healthy specimens. FTIR and 13C-NMR analysis of carrageenan from infected seaweed did not show any differences in their functionality or carbon atom chemical shift as compared with healthy and standard k-carrageenan. However, size exclusion chromatography showed the infected carrageenan molecular size to be 80 kDa as compared with 800 kDa for the healthy and standard k-carrageenan. These findings prove that infection of Kappaphycus by the filamentous red algae epiphyte, N. apiculata, reduces carrageenan molecular size and affects the physical properties of the carrageenan.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aguilan JT, Broom JE, Hemmingson JA, Dayrit FM, Montano MNE, Dancel MCA, Ninonuevo MR, Furneaux RH (2003) Structural analysis of carrageenan from farmed varieties of Philippine Seaweed. Bot Mar 46:179–192
Bennet RN, Wallsgrove RM (1994) Tansley review no 72 secondary metabolites in plant defence mechanisms. New Phytol 127:617–633
Chan EWC, Lim YY, Omar M (2007) Antioxidant and antibacterial activity of leaves of Etlingera species (Zingiberaceae) in Peninsular Malaysia. Food Chem 104:1586–1593
Collén J, Pedersén M, Bornman CH (1994) A stress-induced oxidative burst in Eucheuma platycladum (Rhodophyta). Physio Plantarum 92(3):417–422
Critchley AT, Largo DB, Wee W, Bleicher LG, Hurtado AQ (2004) A preliminary summary on Kappaphycus farming and the impact of epiphytes. Jpn J Phycol 52:231–232
Doty MS, Alvarez VB (1975) Status, problems, advances and economics of Eucheuma farms. Mar Technol Soc J 18:301–306
Gachon CMM, Sime-Ngando T, Strittmatter M, Chambouvet A, Kim GH (2011) Algal diseases: spotlight on a black box. Trends Plant Sci 15:633–640
Hurtado AQ, Critchley AT, Trespoey A, Bleicher LG (2006) Occurrence of Polysiphonia epiphytes in Kappaphycus farms at Calaguas Is., Camarines Norte, Phillippines. J Appl Phycol 18:301–306
Hurtado AQ, Bleicher-Lhounner G, Critchley AT (2008) Kappaphycus “cottonii” farming. Cargill Texturizing Solutions, 26 pp
Largo DB, Fukami F, Nishijima T (1995a) Occasional bacteria promoting ice–ice disease of the farmed red algae Kappaphycus alvarezii and Eucheuma denticulatum (Solieriaceae, Gigartinales, Rhodophyta). J Appl Phycol 7:545–554
Largo DB, Fukami F, Nishijima T, Olino M (1995b) Laboratory induced development of the ice–ice disease of the farmed red algae Kappaphycus alvarezii and Eucheuma denticulatum (Solieriaceae, Gigartinales, Rhodophyta). J Appl Phycol 7:539–543
Largo DB, Fukami K, Nishijima T (1999) Time-dependent attachment mechanism of bacterial pathogen during ice–ice infection in Kappaphycus alvarezii (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta). J Appl Phycol 11:129–136
Masuda M, Abe T, Kawaguchi S, Phang SM (2001) Taxonomic notes on marine algae from Malaysia. VI. Five species of Ceramiales (Rhodophyceae). Bot Mar 44:467–477
McHugh DJ (2003) A guide to the seaweed industry. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, p 105
Mendoza WG, Montano NE, Ganzon-Fortes ET, Villanueva RD (2002) Chemical and gelling profile of ice–ice infected carrageenan from Kappaphycus striatum (Schmitz) Doty “sacol” strain (Solieriaceae, Gigartinales, Rhodophyta). J Appl Phycol 14:409–418
Mtolera MSP, Collén J, Pedersén M, Semesi AK (1995) Destructive hydrogen peroxide production in Eucheuma denticulatum (Rhodophyta) during stress caused by elevated pH, high light intensities and competition with other species. Europ J Phycol 30:289–297
Mtolera MSP, Collén J, Pedersén M, Ekdahl A, Abrahamsson K, Semesi AK (1996a) Stress-induced production of volatile halogenated organic compounds in Eucheuma denticulatum (Rhodophyta) caused by elevated pH and high light intensities. Europ J Phycol 31:89–95
Mtolera MSP, Collén J, Sundström J, Semesi AK, Pedersén M (1996b) Productivity of Eucheuma denticulatum and related seaweeds: HCO3-utilization and the role of water depth and circulation in minimizing light-induced stresses. In: Björk M, Semesi AK, Pedersen M, Bergman B (eds) Current trends in marine botanical research in the East African region. Ord & Vetande AB, Uppsala, pp 162–174
Pedersén M, Collén J, Abrahamsson K, Ekdahl A (1996a) Production of halocarbons from seaweeds: an oxidative stress reaction? Mar Sci 60:257–263
Pedersén M, Mtolera M, Semesi A, Garcia Reina G (1996b) The ice–ice disease and oxidative stress of marine algae. In: Björk M, Semesi AK, Pedersén M, Bergman B (eds) Current trends in marine botanical research in the East African region. Ord & Vetande AB, Uppsala, pp 11–24
Potin P, Sanseau A, Le Gall Y, Rochas C, Kloareg B (1991) Purification and characterization of a new κ-carrageenase from a marine Cytophaga-like bacterium. Eur J Biochem 201:241–247
Sundström J, Collén J, Abrahamsson K, Pedersén M (1996) Halocarbon production and in vivo brominating activity of Eucheuma denticulatum. Phytochemistry 42:1527–1530
Trono GC Jr (1974) Eucheuma farming in the Philippines. U.P. Natural Science Research Center, Quezon City
Uyenco FR, Saniel LS, Jacinto GS (1981) The “ice–ice” problem in seaweed farming. Proc Int Seaweed Symp 10:625–630
Vairappan CS (2002) Solvent efficency in the extraction of anti-microbial substances from brown alga, Sargassum stolonifolium Phang et Yoshida. Sci Int 15:49–54
Vairappan CS (2006) Seasonal occurrences of epiphytic algae on the commercially cultivated red alga Kappaphycus alvarezii (Solieriaceae, Gigartinales, Rhodophyta). J Appl Phycol 18:611–617
Vairappan CS, Suzuki M, Motomura T, Ichimura T (2001) Pathogenic bacteria associated with lesions and thallus bleaching in the Japanese kelp, Laminaria religiosa Miyabe. Hydrobiologia 445:183–191
Vairappan CS, Chong CS, Hurtado AQ, Soya FE, Lhonner GB, Critchley A (2008) Distribution and symptoms of epiphyte infection in major carrageenophyte-producing farms. J Appl Phycol 20:477–483
Vairappan CS, Ishii T, Lee TK, Suzuki M, Zhaoqi Z (2010a) Antibacterial activities of a new brominated diterpene from Borneon Laurencia spp. Mar Drugs 8:1743–1749
Vairappan CS, Sangeetha PA, Tan KL, Matsunaga S (2010b) Role of secondary metabolites as defense chemicals against ice–ice disease bacteria in biofoulers at carrageenophyte farm. J Appl Phycol 22:305–311
Weigl J, Yashe W (1966) The enzymic hydrolysis of carrageenan by Pseudomonas carrageenovora: purification of a κ-carrageenase. Can J Microbiol 12:939–947
Werner A, Clarke D, Kraan S (2004) Strategic review of the feasibility of seaweed aquaculture in Ireland. Marine Institute Galway Technology Park, Productive Sector Operational Programme. National Development Plan 2000–2006, Ireland
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge the PEMANDU for funding this project. In addition, CSV would like to thank the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and Sabah Parks Semporna for the permission to conduct surveys and collect seaweed materials form culture farms in Semporna, Sabah.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Vairappan, C.S., Chung, C.S. & Matsunaga, S. Effect of epiphyte infection on physical and chemical properties of carrageenan produced by Kappaphycus alvarezii Doty (Soliericeae, Gigartinales, Rhodophyta). J Appl Phycol 26, 923–931 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-013-0126-0
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-013-0126-0