Jeffrey Wright1, Rocky de Nys2, Elysha Kennedy1,2, Stephanie Maresse1,2, David Nichols3, Masayuki Tatsumi1,2
1 Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Hobart, Tasmania, 7004 Australia
2 Sea Forest Ltd, 488 Freestone Point Road, Triabunna, TAS 7190, Australia
3 Central Science Laboratory, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia
Algae in the red algal genus Asparagopsis (Bonnemaisoniaceae) produce biologically active secondary metabolites which, when fed to ruminants, reduce methane production by up to 98%. Consequently, Asparagopsis has been highlighted as a significant opportunity for the seaweed aquaculture industry but cultivation methods to supply Asparagopsis are not well-developed. Here, we discuss recent findings on the reproduction, growth and bromoform production in Asparagopsis armata in Tasmania and highlight opportunities for enhancing A. armata cultivation. A. armata is common around Tasmania but shows large variation in abundance and bromoform concentrations among sites and times. Both gametophytes and tetrasporophytes of A. armata reproduce asexually via fragmentation and sexually via spores providing different options for cultivation of gametophytes (at-sea) and tetrasporophytes (on-land). For both stages, identifying the best propagule type and size appear important in optimising biomass and bromoform production. Despite rapid progress, there are still many knowledge gaps surrounding the cultivation of A. armata and future research directions will be discussed.