Eucheuma

An essential step in the investigation of the role of bacteria in the occurrence of diseases (particularly ice-ice) in Kappaphycus and Eucheuma is the characterization ofbacteria associated with these seaweeds. Toward this end, we isolated bacteria from healthy and diseased thalli of various strains of Kappqphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty. Kappaphycus striatum (Schmitz) Doty, and Eucheuma denticulatum (N.L. Burman) Collins et Hervey, collected from different farming sites in the Philippines (Batangas, Bohol and Zamboanga). A total of 165 bacterial isolates were purified, of which, 97 (59%) were obtained from diseased thalli, and 68 (41%) from healthy thalli. A total of 93 isolates were from Zamboanga (56%), 39 were from Batangas (24%) and 33 were from Bohol (20%). Of the 132 isolates from Zamboanga and Batangas, 50 were gliding (38%), 41 were unpigmented (31%), 32 were presumptive Vibrio (24%) and 9 were pig- mented (7%). On the other hand, 20 of the 33 isolates from Bohol wer, pigmented (61%)'while 13 were unpigmented (39%). We also report the isolation of 10 epiphytic bacteria associated with ice-ice-infected thalli of Green Sacci Cultivar having both agarolytic and carrageenolytic activities. The iso- lation of these bacteria is an important step not only towards the assessment of the relative bacterial abundance in various seaweed strains but also towards the evaluation of their potential pathogenicity to Kappaphycus and Eucheuma.

Eucheuma cottonii merupakan salah satu jenis rumput laut merah (Rhodophyceae) yang memiliki kandungan gizi yang cukup tinggi, Eucheuma cottonii dimanfaatkan untuk industri farmasi dan makanan sebagai stabilizer, thickhener, gelling agent, additif, dan suspensi. Selain itu, Eucheuma cottonii juga mengandung antioksidan dan serat yang cukup tinggi serta mineral yang bermanfaat bagi tubuh. Melihat banyak manfaat potensial pada Eucheuma cottonii, hal ini dapat menjadi peluang bisnis bagi masyarakat Indonesia, khususnya di daerah perairan laut yang dijadikan sebagai lahan budidaya rumput laut. Budidaya rumput laut merupakan program pengembangbiakan terencana rumput laut pada lahan perairan. Program ini menggunakan metode Long-line yang merupakan salah satu metode yang banyak diminati dalam budidaya rumput laut dan cocok untuk diterapkan di desa Bajo, Halmahera Selatan dengan komoditas kelautan menjadi potensi utama daerah ini. Pemberdayaan masyarakat melalui budidaya rumput laut diharapkan dapat menjadi alternatif pendapatan masyarakat desa Bajo. Konsep ditanamkan adalah konsep pemberdayaan yang berbasis Education for Suistainable Development (ESD) dengan tetap menjaga kearifan lokal. Selain menjadi sumber tambahan penghasilan, program ini diharapkan dapat semakin membuka lebar lapangan kerja dan peluang usaha sampingan di desa Bajo. Dalam skala yang lebih makro, pengembangan potensi laut ini diharapkan dapat membantu pemerintah untuk mensejahterakan masyarakat Kabupaten Halmahera Selatan.
Kata kunci : Eucheuma cottonii, rumput laut, budidaya, long-line, desa Bajo, ESD.

The impact of Eucheuma on water loss and status in sponge cakes was measured and analyzed in this study. Eucheuma was used to replace 0%, 10%, and 20% of wheat flour to make sponge cakes, coded as the control, EP10, and EP20, respectively. The initial water content of batters showed no significant differences (around 57.0%, dry basis), whereas the final EP10 and EP20 products had higher water content. Three stages were found during baking in control sample and these three stages were fitted by linear, linear, and exponential models with root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.016, 0.018, and 0.133, respectively. Eucheuma addition decreased the water loss rate and changed the water loss stages, which were fitted by linear, linear, and linear models in EP20 sample (RMSE = 0.027, 0.047, and 0.108, respectively). The crust formation and crumb structure analysis showed that the formation of cracks and the disappearance of pore structures hindered the water evaporation. The low-field proton nuclear magnetic resonance and magnetic resonance imaging results showed that the water status in the final EP20 products was not as tightly as that in the control samples. A proposed schematic diagram was developed based on the qualitative analysis of the transfer mechanisms to explain the total effect of Eucheuma on the water loss rate and status. These results aid our understanding of the water loss process of sponge cakes and promote the potential application of Eucheuma in bakery products. Practical Application: Eucheuma as a flour replacement can improve the contents of dietary fiber and minerals like potassium of sponge cake. The impact of Eucheuma on water loss and status in sponge cake was measured and analyzed in this study. The results can promote the potential application of Eucheuma in bakery products and predict the quality attributes of baking products.

Investment in seaweed (Eucheuma) culture by small farmers in Indonesian coastal areas is now considerable, but there appears to be no estimates of the economic returns from this activity. After providing background information on seaweed farms, cost of establishing a seaweed farm and farm revenue from seaweed farming, we estimate the economic returns from seaweed farming using data obtained from Bali. It is estimated that the economic rate of returns in investment in seaweed farming in Bali is very high and the pay-back period for this activity on most farm surveyed was less than a year. Currently small farmers can depend on this culture as their main source of household income in areas ecologically suitable for this culture provided market-access is not too difficult. This culture would also seem to be environmentally less damaging than many existing mariculture activities, e.g. shrimp farming. In addition, it is relatively labour-intensive and does not require significant quantities of processed or imported inputs such as fertilisers, chemicals, fuel and food. Indications are that seaweed farming is likely to be economically more attractive than giant clam mariculture in Bali.

Eucheuma uncinatum (Setch. & Gard.) Daw. from the Gulf of California was cultured in 1001 tanks in outdoor conditions. The cultures consisted of a 3 × 3 factorial design of 10, 19 and 33 % incident light and three different conditions of nutrients during winter (0; 20 µM N03; and 20:2 µM NO3:PO4) and summer (0; 40:4; and 80:8 µM of NO3:PO4). Best growth and carrageenan yield conditions were determined under each experiment. Carrageenan extracts were analyzed for total carbohydrates, 3,6-anhydrogalactose anhydrogalactose and sulphates. Higher carrageenan yields were obtained from cultures with fertilized plants under higher light conditions from winter and summer experiments although summer cultures provided the highest yields (48%). During summer a direct relationship between nutrients and sulfate content was observed. This effect was not observed in the winter experiment. An inverse carbohydrate: light relationship was observed in winter but not in summer. Maximum values of 3,6-anhydrogalactose in winter and summer were 23.9% and 18%, respectively. Results indicate that there is the potential to increase yield and quality of Eucheuma uncinatum carrageenan cultured under natural conditions.