gms | German Medical Science

Species of the brown algal genus Fucus are a rich source for bioactive compounds like laminarin, fucoidans, fucoxanthin and polyphenols. Due to these compounds, Fucus biomass is a desired raw material for cosmetic and food supplement products. So far, the entire market demand for Fucus biomass is satisfied by harvesting wild stocks along western European coasts. However, with growing market demands and an increasing threat of wild stocks due to environmental change, a sustainable source for Fucus biomass is needed. Here we present results of culture trials aiming at the development of a feasible cultivation process for Fucus species in the Baltic Sea. The principal method involves flotation culture of loose thalli in net cages and their vegetative reproduction by shredding. Two main obstacles were identified:

i) biomass losses due to the degradation of sexual organs (receptacles) and

ii) fouling by epizoans (blue mussels, barnacles, bryozoans).

Degradation of sexual organs could be prevented by using naturally asexual ecad populations as seedling material. Further, it was possible to reduce the number of epizoans by regular desiccation of the cultivated thalli, which caused no reduction of the Fucus growth rates. Further experiments are planned in order to improve and upscale the cultivation process.