Culture Growth of the Cyanobacterium Phormidium sp. in Various Salinity and Light Regimes and Their Influence on Its Phycocyanin and Other Pigments Content

A strain of the filamentous non N-fixing cyanobacterium Phormidium sp. isolated from Messolonghi (W. Greece) saltworks, was cultured in laboratory at six different combinations salinity (20-40-60 ppt) and illumination (low-2000 lux high-8000 lux). At salinities 60 40 ppt high (XL-8000 lux), growth rate (?max) presented highest values (0.491 0.401, respectively) compared to corresponding 20 (0.203). In general all salinities, higher (XL) gave rates shorter duplication time (tg) comparison lower (L). On contrary, phycocyanin, phycoerythrin allophycocyanin production extremely increased (L) ~14 fold 269 those (XL). Similar analogies were also recorded for other two billiproteins. Chlorophyll-a content contrast total carotenoids that did not exhibit such a pattern. The phycocyanin along with rapid sedimentation its biomass can set this marine species as promising candidate mass culture.