ENHANCED DEVELOPMENT AND DIFFERENTIATION OF PROTOPLASTS AND SPORES OFGREEN AND RED SEAWEEDS BY A PTEROCLADIA AGAR FROM NEW-ZEALAND

Enhanced growth of macroalgae was observed on High Purity Agar, a prod uct of Coast Biologicals Limited of Auckland New Zealand. Increases in rates of cell divisions and tissue differentiation occurred in green and red seaweeds. Protoplasts, spores, and vegetative thalli were all affected. The enhancement of growth and differentiation was concentrat ion dependent, with high concentrations (> 1 %) appearing toxic. Few c ells survived on 1 % and 1.5 % agar; over 8 weeks of culture these dev eloped into plantlets six fold larger than those grown on an 0.3 % gel of the same agar, and as much as 11 fold larger than control plants g rown on Difco Bacto agar at the same gel concentration. The activity w as heat stable, water soluble, and largely bound to the carbohydrate m atrix. The chemical nature of the active compound is under investigati on.