Tissue cultured elkhorn sea moss paves the way for future successes

In recent years, the Research Institute for Marine Fisheries (RIMF, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) has conducted research on restoring elkhorn sea moss (Kappaphycus alvazezii) seed sources using tissue culture technology. High-quality sea mosses are selected and evaluated through morphological characteristics, growth rate and the ability to accumulate high carrageenan content and quality to be used as research materials.

In 2021, assigned by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to carry out the project "Research on the application of high technology in seed production and seaweed cultivation technology for high yield and quality of carrageenan in the Central region", Dr. Le Thanh Tung and his colleagues proactively perfected the technology and developed techniques for rapid propagation of seed sources for intensive cultivation of elkhorn sea moss.

From the selected material source, scientists studied the sample, created fibrous callus tissue and then let them form young plants through the process of embryogenesis. The young plants underwent the incubation process and adapted back to the natural environment. Later they could be used as a source of high-quality seeds for intensive farming and production of commercial elkhorn sea moss. In this way, elkhorn sea moss seeds in water were regenerated and restored to the quality of the original seed source.

In Ca Na, Thuan Nam, Ninh Thuan province, young elkhorn sea mosses have been restored and incubated from the beginning of the season in October 2023 to April 2024. The planting area and output of elkhorn sea moss from tissue culture seed sources are increasing day by day, and there exists a demand to move them to coastal areas for commercial cultivation.

MSc. Tran Mai Duc is a member of the project implementation team from Nha Trang Institute of Technology Research and Application, a coordinating unit of the task. He mentions that algae seeds from tissue culture have high quality, good growth ability and often have outstanding disease resistance compared to natural seed sources that have not been selected.

The incubation and propagation period must be carried out in areas with little wind and no fish eating algae to minimize seed loss. Therefore, the research members decide to preserve and develop seed sources in the salt marsh area of ​​Ca Na commune, Thuan Nam district, Ninh Thuan. Currently, over 2 tons of seaweed seeds have grown well in a secured area of over 1000 m2 equipped with floating buoy wire hanging racks.

However, keeping elkhorn sea moss in the salt marsh area is no longer suitable considering the recent period. When the temperature increases, the sea moss may turn yellow, become weak, easily degraded and may decrease in quantity. All seeds are therefore moved to the coastal growing area of ​​Son Hai, Ninh Thuan since the climate and weather conditions there are considered suitable for developing an intensive farming model for high-quality elkhorn sea moss seed. Local farmers often grow elkhorn sea moss from April to September every year.

After two weeks of monitoring, the high-quality tissue culture elkhorn sea moss used for the intensive farming model in the Son Hai area grows rapidly again and has a good adaptation level and compatibility for this ecological zone. The seed source from this model is expected to be attentively developed and transferred to households when the seeds reach a relatively high volume to serve as a high-quality source in service of production.

In the Northern region, the Research Institute for Marine Fisheries tests planting elkhorn sea moss in the aquaculture area at Phat Co Island, Ha Long Commune, Van Don District. As for the result, elkhorn sea moss here has a relatively stable growth rate, completely meeting the quality of raw material for sea moss production. However, elkhorn sea moss samples grown in Van Don still achieve less desirable results compared to elkhorn sea moss cultivating models in Nha Trang and Ninh Thuan.