Actual, potential and speculative applications of seaweed cellular biotechnology: some specific comments on Gelidium

Abstract

Cellular biotechnology is a promising application in the propagation and selection of superior strains of seaweeds. Although axenic cultures, organogenetic tissue cultures, vegetative micro-propagation, callus induction and high yields of agar from calli have been described for several species of Gelidium, a number of basic problems remain to be solved. These include standardized methods for obtaining axenic cultures, identification of requirements for organic nutrients, PGR's, cellular disorganization and reorganization, somaclonal variation and somatic incompatibilities. Future progress in seaweed biotechnology will depend on the resolution of many of these problems.