Survey of Phytoplankton of Sind Area and The Utilization of Fresh Water and Marine Algae as Food for Animal/Man

Abstract

Water samples were collected from Karachi, Hydrabad, Larkana, Sehwan, Dadu, Mirpur Khas, Kotri, Jacobabad, Thatta, Sujawal, Gharo, Ghulamullah, etc. for the investigation of healthy and resistant varieties of micro-algae. In this connection twenty strains of Chlorella, Chlamydomonas, Chlorococcum, Scenedesmus, Spirogyra, Nostoc, Lyngbya, Spirulina, Monoraphidium, Anabaena and Gloeocapsa were isolated in uni-algal cultures. Besides this Ulva lectuca was collected from Karachi Coast for the purpose of comparison of protein contents of the micro-algae with the thalloid algae. Species of Monoraphidium contortum, Scenedesmus quadricauda, S. dimorphus, Chlorella vulgaris and Spirogyra ellipsospora were utilized for Mass-cultivation experiments. Cultures were prepared in the Bold's Basal Medium. Carbondioxide and Nitrogen were supplied by Natural gas. Illumination was provided by florescent tubes in the laboratory, while solar energy was utilized in the out-door cultivation system. A modified Mass-cultivation apparatus was designed and that was utilized for the indoor and out-door mass cultivation experiments. Water samples were screened for chemical factors, which include dissolved oxygen, free CO2, Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite, Silica, Manganese and Phosphorus. And it is interesting to note that Scenedesmus dimorphus, Chlorella vulgaris and Spirogyra ellipsospora seem to be resistant to fluctuation in concentration of these chemicals. Three selected algal species from coccoid green algae like Chlorella vulgaris, filamentous green algae Spirogyra ellipsospora and thalloid green algae ( sea-weed) Ulva lectuca have been used as test algae for chicks (Broiler) feeding experiments. It is observed that coccoid green algae and thalloid green algae showed better results in feeding poultry birds. Artificial cultivation of algae was done in order to produce useful organic material for food and feed, as because the rate of growth, protein contents and amino acids are seems to be almost ten times greater than the crop plants. Thus (1) these autotrophic plants produce a very important potential source of protein rich biomass and that (2) for the algal mass-cultivation, in southern part of the Sind, the climate for out-door culture system appears to be most appropriate, because solar radiation received by the algae remains moderate all the year round. Attempts were also made to formulate 9 feed ration to poultry birds (Broiler) in order to achieve a low cost feed with better potentials. Feeding program was carried out from the days old to eight weeks birds (Broiler). It is observed that birds which were feeding on higher percentages of coccoid algae Chlorella vulgaris and thalloid algae Ulva lectuca showed best results in terms of quantity and good quality of meat.