Salinity and age-induced changes in pigments and biomass production in marine cyanobacterium <i>Phormidium tenue</i>(Myxophyceae : Hormogonales)

Abstract

The marine cyanobacterium <i>Phormidium tenue</i> was studied for biomass,levels of pigments and their photochemical activities as influenced by age of culture and salinity. During the culture period, the trend was similar between the fluorescence excitation of pigments and the production of biomass and that was also similar between the fluorescence emission and the level of pigments such as, phycocyanin and phycoerythrin; but the pattern was not alike between the levels of pigments and the production Of biomass. Regarding the salinity-induced responses, the level of pigments, their capacity to transfer energy and biomass production were higher in salinity 40 x 10^-3 than in 18 and 100 x 10^-3 grown cultures. Thus biomass and pigment characteristics are highly dependant on salinity and age of culture.