Abstract

The gracilarioid red algae (Gracilaria, Gracilariopsis, and Polycavernosa) are the basis of a worldwide, multimillion-dollar industry, mainly associated with the production of agar, a commercially useful polysaccharide. Much of the current production comes from mariculture, and there have been numerous advances in research and cultivation in recent years. This review summarizes recent advances in the cultivation of gracilarioid algae in tanks, ponds, and in the sea (bottom planting and suspended cultivation) and compares those techniques. The main constraints to cultivation are discussed, including nutrient supply, epiphytes, grazers, and diseases. Further advances are predicted to depend on effective domestication of the wild plants, strain selection, and the commercialization of integrated cultivation with animals.