CULTURE OF RED SEAWEED (GRACILARIA CORTICATA) IN EARTHEN PONDS, CHABAHAR, SOUTH EAST IRAN

Document Type : Research Paper

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Abstract

Culture of Gracilaria was carried out in two 0.25 ha earthen ponds from October 2000 to September2001. Data were acquired for 4 seasons. Culture system was fixed bottom line method. We could culture 500 grams of Gracilaria on each line in about 9 weeks. The seaweed reached a maximum growth in 6 to 7 weeks with its biomass being 2.3 times of the initialbiomass in Autumn, 2.6 times in Winter, 2.7 times in Spring and 2.4 times in Summer. Oneway ANOVA showed that average weight was not similar in various seasons. The avearagedaily growth rate in different seasons was between 4.3 to 34.3 grams.

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