Farming of the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera in southern Chile for development of novel food products

Towards domestication of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) in Chile: selection of haploid parent genotypes, outbreeding, and heterosis

“…Raimondi et al (2004) showed for Californian M. pyrifera that outbreeding caused significant positive effects (heterosis) in offspring produced by geographically distant parents. Since these experiments, as well as traditional seeding of mariculture ropes with natural spore suspensions (Gutierrez et al 2006), make use of natural spore batches that contain many millions of genetically different meiospores, they have only limited value to reveal heterosis. Instead, it will be compulsory to use genetically defined clonal stock gametophytes to make use of bastard luxuriance in kelp breeding.…”

Genetic structure of the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera along the southeastern Pacific

“…1 and Table 1 Macrocystis pyrifera is the largest seaweed on earth (up to 40 to 50 m long) and the most widely distributed kelp species, forming extensive submarine forests that harbor a rich diversity of marine life (Neushul 1971, North 1994. M. pyrifera also provides a valuable economic resource used for alginates, as food for abalone aquaculture, organic fertilizer, and recently as novel seafood (Hernández-Carmona et al 1998, Gutierrez et al 2006, Graham et al 2007, Vásquez 2008. Along the SEP M. pyrifera distribution encompasses all 3 biogeographic provinces.…”

Macrocystis mariculture in Chile: growth performance of heterosis genotype constructs under field conditions

“…With this scheme, Westermeier et al (2006) reached 80 kg of Macrocystis biomass m 1 of rope within 12 months from the start. This compares favourably with 14.4 kg within 8 months (Gutierrez et al 2006) and 22 kg within 5 months (Macchiavello et al 2010) for traditional mariculture starting from natural spores seeded on ropes.…”

“…The results of our study show that heterosis, jointly with indoor seedling production, can be used to provide favourable stocks of Macrocystis genotypes with features that are apt to increase the productivity and versatility of mariculture enterprises: -Higher biomass production (66 kg m 1 of rope within 4 to 5 months, in contrast to 14.4 kg m 1 after 8 months (Gutierrez et al 2006), and 22 kg m 1 after 5 months (Macchiavello et al 2010) under traditional management) -Faster growth rates, reaching maximum harvest biomass within 4 to 5 months. This speed-up opens the option to produce two harvests per year -Due to genetic homogeneity, crops of a given genotype appear morphologically uniform, and available space can be used to maximum efficiency -Our laboratory-based seedling production by quasiaseptic growth conditions until explantation of seedlings to the sea seems to drastically reduce the buildup of pathogens and fouling -Highly productive genotypes may be selected with specific morphological properties such as haptera hypertrophy (Fig.…”

“…The resulting artificial substrates with juvenile sporophytes are explanted to mariculture installations in the sea (Gutierrez et al 2006;Macchiavello et al 2010). This method has significant disadvantages, mainly the seasonal restriction and quality of natural spore supply and problems to obtain proper inoculation densities.…”