Kelp aquaculture in China: a retrospective and future prospects

Globally, China has the largest scale of kelp cultivation and production operations. However, its aquaculture industry is suffering from declining germplasm diversity, degradation agronomic traits, presence polluted environments, changing ocean conditions increasing anthropological interference. This review covers two most commercially important species in China, viz. Saccharina japonica Undaria pinnatifida. It summarizes history their cultivation, production, economic ecological benefits, breeding programmes (e.g. inter- intra-specific hybridization marker-assisted selection) efforts towards population genetic diversity conservation. The article focuses on three significant challenges, for example cross-contamination between wild farmed populations, warming acidification. Accordingly, we outline steps required to provide several intervention measures, (i) collection preservation cultivated germplasm; (ii) selection suitable sites under environmental conditions; (iii) developing stress-resistant cultivars; finally, (iv) adoption innovative models. concludes with genome-based, designs molecular calls establishment an East Asian Kelp Consortium (EAKC). Collectively, Chinese could beneficial goods services, bioenergy fine chemicals such as carbon capture, pH amelioration provision habitat many other marine commercial value. strategies proposed this thus have potential not only improve but also reinvigorate nearby Japan Korea, context both health benefits.