Influence of the Macronutrients N, P and K on the Agarophyte Alsidium triquetrum (S. G. Gmelin) Trevisan, during Experimental Culture

The knowledge of the nutritional requirements and their relation to the physiology of marine algae growth is key to incorporate new species into aquaculture, whose dynamics tend to be largely unknown. The use of Alsidium triquetrum in the pharmacological industry depends on its availability in the natural environment, occasionally scarce. As macroalgae cultivation gains momentum worldwide, it is important to know how the effects of nutrients are modulated in the thallus during cultivation. The linking of the relative growth rates (RGR) of A. triquetrum and their relation with the macronutrients N (nitrogen), P (phosphorus) and K (potassium) at the tissue level under culture conditions constitutes the main contribution of this article. P levels tend to decrease as the plant completes its development. Both the concentration of N and P are higher in the stipe for the month of July, N (25.31 ± 0.26) vs P (0.846 ± 0.02) period when the highest vegetative development is reached. The N and P modulate the patterns of the species’ development over the annual cycle, unlike K, which is not considered a limiting factor. When the temperature and lighting are not favorable for growth, the plant simply accumulates these compounds. As environmental conditions change, these stored compounds are actively used in their growth. The specimens with an initial weight of 50 g present the best accumulated biomass (RGR) throughout the annual cycle.