CULTURE OF GIGARTINA SKOTTSBERGII

(RHODOPHYTA) IN SOUTHERN CHILE. A PILOT

SCALE APPROACH

Hctor Romo1, Marcela vila2, Mario Nez2, Rodrigo

Prez1 & Gsica Aroca2.
1Departamento

de Oceanografa, Universidad de Concepcin,

Casilla 160-C, Concepcin, Chile.
2Divisin de Investigacin Acucola, Instituto de Fomento
Pesquero, Balmaceda 252, Puerto Montt, Chile.

E-mail: hromo@udec.cl

Extractos Naturales Gelymar S.A.

Neogel
Danisco Chile
FMC Corporation
Algina

Project FONDEF D 00/ I 1109

Hueihue
Up

20 S

Chile

g
lin
el

Chilo

Humbolt Current

Pacific Ocean

South America

Calbuco

Ancud

40 S

W.W. Drift

Figure 1. Study sites.

Cape Horn Current

(A) FLOATING SYSTEM

a1 = buoys
a2 = concrete block
a3 = ropes with fronds
a4 = Ropes with shells
a5 = sinker
a6 = four ropes with
fronds.

(B) BOTTOM SYSTEM

b1 = plastic bottle
b2 = concrete block
b3 = net
b4 = ropes with fronds
b5 = Ropes with shells

Figure 2. Floating and bottom system used for Gigartina culture.

HATCHERY TECHNOLOGY

Selection of mature fronds

Development of young thalli

on shells (10-15C &
nutrients), during 8 weeks.

Desiccation of fronds
for 15 at 12-17C

Re- Immersion in filtered

seawater ( 500 g seaweed /
20 l FSW )

Seeded substrata with spore

solution in fiberglass tanks

Figure 3. Hatchery stages of Gigartina culture

Filtered spore solution

with plankton net

GROWTH IN THE SEA

Juvenile on shell
Growth to 3 cm
diameter
Harvest (2,5
years aprox.)

Removing
from shell
Growth of fronds
attached to ropes

Figura 4. Culture of Gigartina from juvenile to adult plants.

GROWTH & MANAGEMENT

Tie-cables
FOULING AND
EPIPHYTES
CONTROL

Figure 5. Growth and management sequence of plants from young fronds

on shells to adult thalli.

10

Suspended

Bottom

Width (mm)

8
6
4
2
0

Ap Ma

Ju

Ju

Au

Se Oc

No De

Figure 6. Growth of Gigartina germlings in two ways of culture.

1200

Fragment

Whole plant

Wet weight (g)

1000
800
600
400
200
0

August

September

October

November

Figure 7. Growth of fragments and whole plants cultured

at 6 m depth in the floating system.

Frond diameter (mm)

8. A. Growth of
Gigartina germlings on
hells of scallops. B
Growth
of
young
thalli
attached
to
ropes
until
reach
the adult size.

16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0

Greenhouse Sea culture

O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J
2001

2002

2003

dhgdfgdhfgd

70

Frond diameter (cm)

Figure

60
50
40
30
20
10
0

F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A
2003

DSHGDFH

2004

Wetweight
weight (g)
Wet
(g)

We = 0,0239Wi
2

R = 0,8667

10

15

20

Width (cm)

Wetweight
weight (g)
Wet
(g)

Figure 9. Width and wet weight

relationship in young
(A) and adult G.
skottsbergii thalli (B)

2,0807

12
10
8
6
4
2
0

1000
800
600
400
200
0

0,0351He

50

100

We = 24,981e
2
R = 0,7416

Frond
w idth
(cm)
Width
(cm)

Figure 10A. Growth assessment

of two zones in the
frond (marginal (M)
& basal (B)), by
mean of hole
displacement
with respect to basal
point (0).

A
D

M.
A
P

B
B
0

2,5
2,0
DGR (%)

Figure 10B. Daily growth rate (%)

of basal and marginal
zones respect to whole
plant.

B
Marginal

Basal

Whole plants

1,5
1,0
0,5
0,0

13th

43th
Days

57th

71th

Four years old

Spore seeded in winter 1999.
1m

Pre-growth on small concrete block

on the bottom of Calbuco Channel
(December 1999 June 2002).
When reach 15 cm diameter
(approximately 10 g of wet weight),
frond was attached to suspended
culture in Hueihue.
In October 2003 was harvested
having a size of 1,5 m of width and
600 g of wet weight.

Conclusions
It is technically feasible to farm G. skottsbergii,
combining methods for growing young wild fronds while
spore based farm complete its growth until harvest.
Use of young wild thalli permit to obtain an added growth
after three or four months of farming.
Shells of mollusks resulted suitable substrata for seeding
G. skottsbergii and its first growth stages in the sea.
Thickness of G. skottsbergii permits an adequate
handing and attachment to ropes from very young
stages.
Special care must be done, cleaning floating system,
shells and vertical ropes in order to enhance the growth
and avoid competence with fouling.

Conclusions
Suspended system resulted more appropriate than
bottom one for farming.
Growth rate is similar in fragments and whole fronds, so
fragmentation procedures permits better handing for
create more suitable conditions for growing and avoid
detachment of large thalli.
Complete growth cycle starting from spores spend two
months in nursery, 11-12 months until reach 1 cm wide
and other 11-12 months for harvest.
More efforts to propagate this species and improve
cultivation must be done because natural populations
recuperation is slow.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

FONDEF
Extractos Naturales Gelymar S.A.
Danisco Chile
Neogel
FMC Corporation
Algina

END