Dr Michael Y Roleda1
1Algal Ecophysiology Laboratory (AlgaE Lab), The Marine Science Institute, College of Science, Diliman, Philippines
Eucheumatoids are phycocolloid-producing seaweeds from the family Solieriaceae (Gigartinales, Florideophyceae). They are the major source of carrageenan, a hydrocolloid that has been utilized in the industrial, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries for decades. Philippine eucheumatoids have been farmed for more than half a century. Throughout this long history, cultivars have been developed and distributed worldwide. Eucheumatoids are morphologically plastic and are oftentimes misidentified. Thus, genetic data is very important in confirming species identities. Moreover, recent genotyping studies based on the concatenated COI-5P and cox2-3 spacer sequences revealed rich genetic pool. However, only a few haplotypes are currently being farmed. The vegetative propagation in seaweed mariculture ensures the preservation of desirable traits and safeguards the quality of the farmed cultivars, but negates genetic exchange over time that leads to low genetic variation and decline in plant vigor. High genetic variation enables growth in wide range of environmental conditions especially in a changing climate. To provide alternative and resilient seedstocks for the commercial cultivation, a sectorial and multistakeholder approach is required to ensure the development of adequate breeding and nurseries facilities as well as a model that will facilitate the fair accessibility of high quality seeds to farmers.