Can sporulation inhibitors increase productivity in sea lettuce cultivations?

Sea lettuces (Ulva spp.) are of increasing interest to the expanding seaweed industry due to their favourable nutritional and biochemical properties. However, the productivity of Ulva in cultivation is limited due to recurrent reproduction events. Here, vegetative biomass transforms into reproductive biomass which gets lost upon discharge and disintegrates the seaweed. This project investigates the use of sporulation inhibitors to develop a cultivation method that maintains the seaweed in a vegetative state to increase its productivity. The results will offer new opportunities for the rising seaweed industry and contribute to developing a sustainable blue economy.