Effects of environmental factors on the liberation of spores from some red algae of Visakhapatnam coast

Experiments were conducted with tetrasporophytes of Gelidium pusillum (Stackhouse) Le Jolis, Pterocladia heteroplmos (Boergesen) Umamaheswara Rao & Kaliaperumal, and Gelidiopsis variabilis (Greville) Schmitz, to determine the effects of various environmental factors on the liberation of spores. The ability to liberate spores and the quantity of spores shed by these three red algae varied with the different environmental conditions tested. Submerged condition of the plants, long day condition at low illuminance, sea water of 30 to 40/00 salinity and 25 to 30°C temperature were found to be favourable for maximum sheddingofsporcs at Visakhapatnam. The variability observed in spore-shedding under short- and long-day conditions was considered to be due to the photosynthetic effect also noticed in the growth of certain red algae.