The kelp Undariopsis peterseniana is warmwater-tolerant, and consequently, there is currently considerable interest in developing commercial cultivation techniques for this species in Korea. U. peterseniana plants have been successfully transferred to the northern coast of Korea beyond their original habitat in Jeju Island (33°30′08.65″N, 126°55′39.02″E). In this study, we cultured a hybrid kelp consisting of a cross between free-living gametophytes of U. peterseniana and U. pinnatifida in an attempt to extend the culture period of Undaria which is an important species for both the abalone industry and for commercial seaweed mariculture for human food applications. Morphological characters and cultivation period were compared between the parent thalli and the hybrid. The cultivation experiment was conducted in Wando, on the southern coast of Korea (34°26′18.68″N, 127°05′ 43.88″E). The morphological characteristics of the hybrid thalli were intermediate between the two species having shallow pinnated blades and a reduced reproductive organ. Hybrid thalli showed faster growth rates, 1.5 times greater biomass, and a longer cultivation period than the parent thalli. The hybrid strain possessed characteristics that indicate it could be used as an alternative kelp source to supply the abalone feed industry.

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Pure lines were isolated from young gametophytic blades of pigmentation and morphological mutants in Porphyra tenera. Growth, blade-shape and photosynthetic pigment content of pure lines were compared with the wild type. Growth of blade length in the wild type (W, R-B), with round shape and brown color, was fastest at 5~10℃ and became slower as temperature increased. The blade-shape of the wild type changed from linear to round as temperature increased. The green type (R-G), with round shape and green color, showed slower growth, and the red type (R-R)with round shape and red colorshowed faster growth than the wild type. The blade-shapes of the green and red types changed from elliptical or linear to round as temperature increased. The phycoerythrin (PE) / phycocyanin (PC) ratio of the green type was markedly lower and the PE/PC ratio of the red type was markedly higher than that of the wild type. The linear type (L-B), with liner shape and brown color, showed faster growth in blade length than the wild type at 10~20℃ and maintained its linear shape at 5~15℃. The content of photosynthetic pigments of the linear type was similar to that of the wild type. Each of the pure lines of pigmentation and morphological mutants that were isolated in the present study showed particular patterns in growth, blade-shape and photosynthetic pigment composition. Therefore, they are expected to be useful as new varieties by themselves and to be available for breeding and biotechnological studies.

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