The Diversity of Eucheumatoid Seaweed Cultivars in the Philippines

Abstract

Collectively known as eucheumatoids, Eucheuma denticulatum, Kappaphycus alvarezii, K. malesianus, and K. striatus are the main farmed seaweed species in the Philippines. The success of seaweed farming for over five decades in the country is due, in part, to the high diversity of cultivars maintained by the Filipino farmers. Notwithstanding the fact that many eucheumatoid cultivars are presently (and consistently) recognized by the Filipino farmers, there has been no attempt to summarize the current state of the local traditional knowledge about the diversity of this seaweed group, especially with reference to the taxonomy, cultivar designation and distribution. Factors based on present day local knowledge on the eucheumatoid cultivars and what is known on genetic identification in the Philippines were also discussed. A total of 66 cultivars recognized across 58 provinces in the Philippines were documented. Most of these cultivars were morphologically identified as either K. alvarezii or K. striatus, however, the majority were yet to be genetically identified. In part, due to higher demand of kappa-carrageenan extract as compared from the iota type, K. alvarezii and K. striatus were widely cultivated in the Philippines than that of E. denticulatum. Only in the southern Philippines that K. malesianus is currently cultivated. The diverse cultivars identified in this study suggest that the Filipino farmers possess important traditional knowledge that can be useful for future crop selection and breeding.

Keywords:

• Carrageenophytes
• distribution
• ethnobotany
• seaweed farming
• taxonomy

Additional information

Funding

This study was primarily supported by the research fund from the United Kingdom Research and Innovation–Global Challenges Research Fund (UKRI- GCRF) ‘GlobalSeaweedSTAR’ Programme GSS/RF/015 (BB/P027806/1) awarded to RVD and MYR. RVD, FDG and HARQ were respectively supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) projects: Molecular characterization, selection and production of high quality eucheumatoid cultivars in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Field Testing of Laboratory-reared Seaweed Cultivars from PSU-MSL Culture Facilities in MIMAROPA Region and Seaweed Area GIS-based Mapping: Production Support System for Sustainable Seaweeds Farming in the Philippines. MYR was supported by the DOST-Balik Scientist Program (BSP) fellowship, the UP System Balik PhD Program (OVPAA-BPhD-2019-06), and the UPMSI inhouse research grant.