Evaluating the formation of secondary attachment discs of Chondracanthus chamissoi (yuyo) under semi-controlled cultivation conditions

ABSTRACT Chondracanthus chamissoi is a commercially important algae used as raw material in direct human consumption and carrageenan extraction. This species is cultivated via vegetative propagation and through the production of spores; however, there is a lack of information on techniques for early-stage secondary attachment discs (SAD) formation under laboratory conditions. The present work aimed to determine the formation of DFS in function of different initial cultivation conditions, using Argopecten purpuratus shells as natural substrate for the SAD fixation, factorially varying the inoculum (washed algae and unwashed), the type of substrate (biologized; unbiologized) and the water (treated, untreated). Our results showed significant SAD formation of C. chamissoi in the treatments where the algae were washed and average of 1 - 21 SAD / shell was accounted. On the other hand, a significant increase in SAD is observed in the interaction of the treatments where the water was treated and untreated water or biologized and unbiologized. Therefore, we consider that cleaning protocols in the initial stages is essential for this type of cultivation by vegetative propagation.