Effect of salinity, light and fertilizer on Caulerpa lentillifera under culture conditions

Seaweed was commonly consumed across the worldwide. In Malaysia, Caulerpa lentillifera or known as latok is increasingly popular with as an additional diet by local peoples. The different dietary qualities, minerals and nutrients are of concern to the food industry. This also has potential in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, bioremediation and agriculture sectors. Despite its complex habitat adaptations, majority of Caulerpa lentillifera in the market has been harvested from the wild, contributing to natural habitat disruptions. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to investigate selected parameters such as salinity, light, and fertilizer of Caulerpa lentillifera under cultivation in Malaysia. The Caulerpa lentillifera showed better growth under salinity above 25 psu and 30 psu, which also provide sufficient light for a period of 10 hours. The optimum growth rate of Caulerpa lentillifera under cultivation conditions can be obtained by adding fertilizer such as conway and von stock media e.g 17.55 % SGR and 13.50 % SGR respectively. This study indicates parameters, including salinity, light and fertilizer that contribute to the growth of Caulerpa lentillifera culture.