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Home , Eucheuma

Transportation of Propagules Common Problems

Ice ice If propagules are to be transported, it must be done in Epiphytism the nearest possible time preferably early in the Tip darkening morning or late in the afternoon. Materials such as Macro epiphytes (Ulva, Sargassum, etc.) styropore boxes, baskets or sacks can be used. It is Meso epiphytes (Neosiphonia) advisable to place banana leaves inside and above Mud enveloping the thallus sack/box/basket to cover the propagules and prevent Grazing and or pest dehydration. Avoid direct exposure to the sun, rain and wind. Harvesting

Preparation of Culture Lines Harvesting of seaweds usually takes 60 days after planting. There are two ways in harvesting the . The most common practice is to harvest the Propagules for planting must be properly selected. whole plants and replant the farm with young and Propagules must be of good quality/healthy, fast healthy cuttings. The other way is to prune the growing and must be young branches. Avoid using seaweeds and leave some plants to re-grow. propagules with traces of grazing, epiphytes and ice- ice disease. Post Harvest Management Cut the branches using a sharp knife and tie in between basal branches using soft tie plastic straw then tie it on the cultivation rope. The initial weight of After harvesting, seaweeds must be washed the branches must be 150-200 grams. The distance thoroughly with seawater while still in the sea. Remove between plant in a cultivation rope is about 25-30 cm. the ties, debris, macro epiphytes and other foreign materials attached to the seaweed. Only the cultivated must be dried in any available drying Culture Methods: facilities like bamboo slats, hanging line or in pavement covered with net, coco palm and or sacks. Avoid contamination with rainwater because it degrades the  Fixed bottom method quality of when processed.

 Floating Long Line Drying period should be continuos for atleast 3-4 days  Vertical Method to attain moisture content (MC) of 35-38%. Normally an MC of 42-45% or even higher is sold to the traders/  Raft Method exporters because the farmers cannot achieve the MC of 35-38% in their areas. After drying, pack the dried  Baraca’s Method seaweeds in sacks and place it in a clean, dry and safe storage room. Farm Management

Proper farm management must be applied through BUREAU OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC RESOURCES rigorous monitoring of cultured seaweeds. Inspect the Regional Fisheries Information Section farm everyday or every other day to remove grazers CARAGA REGION and epiphytes that may compete with nutrients, light, Peñaranda Street, Surigao City and space. Shake the lines to get rid of the sediments For additional information, contact: but not too strong to prevent detachment of the culture Mr. Edgardo P. Balambao: 09054085420 seaweeds not. Check and repair the support system if Asst. Regional Director necessary and replace lost plants. Ms. Rizalinda L. Abing: 09273102811 OIC, Fisheries Production and Support Services Division / PMEU Masao Center Email us: [email protected] Website: http://caraga.bfar.da.gov.ph

Introduction Morphology Site Selection

Kappaphycus alvarezii and K. striatum are Selection of ideal site for farming is vital in starting up a predominantly cultured in the . Kappa Kappaphycus seaweed is tough, fleshy and firm and seaweed farm. Factors such as substrate, natural carrageenan (hard-gel) is extracted from these two can reach up to 2 m tall. Thalli are course with axes abundance of seagrass and other seaweeds, water species while iota carrageenan (soft-gel) is extracted and branches 1-2 cm diameter; heavy with major axes quality, water movement and depth must be taken into from Eucheuma denticulatum . They are locally named relatively straight, lacking secondary branches near account. as , guso, tamsao and tambalang. apices. Frequently and irregularly branched with most branches primary, secondary branches intercalated Ideally, the water must be clean, clear, free from any Eucheuma is a raw material for Casrragenan, a between primary branches or mostly lacking. source of pollution and water salinity must be less than colloidal substance used as an essential gelling agent, 30 ppt. Sites near river mouths, stream and other stabilizer and emulsifier in various food, personal care, They are morphologically plastic: variable thalli forms areas with freshwater run-off must be avoided. Water pharmaceutical and industrial products worldwide. from gnarled forms with few small branches in shallow movement must be moderate with a velocity of 20-40 areas to large, intricately tangled, fleshy mast in m/min. In the absence of any measuring instrument for Seaweeds constitute much of the aquaculture deeper. water movement, it is very practical to observe the production and is one of the top export winners of the bending of seagrasses. If the bending is approximately country. is an alternative livelihood of 45⁰, then the movement of water is appropriate. Very the fisherfolk with less input requirement but with high slow water movement causes silting while too much of and fast return on investment. Unlike fish culture, it Reproductive Biology it may cause breakage and detachment of the stocks does not require commercial diet, pond construction from the cultivation line. and soil fertilization because the natural habitat and nutrition is provided by the sea. Thus, seaweed Reproduction of Kappahycus includes both sexual and The substrate must be firm, rocky or course-sandy and farming can be very rewarding livelihood venture. asexual reproduction. Asexual reproduction includes well protected from strong waves and winds. Firm vegetative propagation (thallus fragmentation). While substrate is essential for the support system and sexual reproduction involves union of nuclei from non- presence of buffer zones such as natural breakwaters Biology motile ‘sperm’ (spermatium) of a male , is necessary to protect the stocks from the like. Water and an ‘egg’ (carpogonium; carpogonial branch) of depth must not be less than 30 cm during the lowest

female plant low tide. This is to avoid overexposure and dehydration Generally seaweeds including Kappaphycus are macro of cultured seaweed. - usually living at the bottom (benthic). They Life history of including Kappaphycus is triphasic. Alternating ‘gametophyte’ (one haploid free- commonly abound on the shallow coastal areas where A field testing is necessary before engaging in massive light and substrate are available such as reef flat and living male and female generations), culture. Remember to secure a permit from the LGU reef edges 1-17 m deep. They are loosely attached to ‘tetrasporophyte’ (one diploid free-living generation), broken corals or, unattached fragments floating in and ‘carposporophyte” (parasitic on the female gametophyte) shallow and deep water. Preparation of Farming As algae, they have simple body called “thallus”. Basic structure of seaweeds include Blade (for Some of the commonly cultured Cultivation rope: photosynthesis and absorption of nutrients and Monofilament no. 110 test lbs gasses), Stipe (for support to the blade), and Holdfast Kappaphycus varieties: Polyethylene (P.E.) Rope no. 7-12 (for attachment). Generally they are non-vascular, non- Flat binder fruit-bearing, and non-flowering and has simple reproductive structure. Kappaphycus alvarezii (green) Support materials: Bamboo K. alvarezii (Vanguard) Wooden stakes K. alvarezii (Milo) Floaters: Styrofoam or Kingdom: Plantae Kappaphycus striatum (Sacol Green) Empty plastic bottles Division: Rhodophyta Class: Rhodophyceae Tying material: Order: K. striatum (Sacol Brown) Family: Soft straw (tying of propagules) Genus: Kappaphycus P.E. Rope no. 5 or Monofilament no. 90 test lbs (tying of floaters)