• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.404-415
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• 2020

We investigated the seasonal variations in growth and physiological responses of the kelp species Ecklonia cava to different nitrogen sources to establish indoor culture conditions for mass production. Ecklonia cava was cultivated for 10 days in 16 combinations of seawater temperatures (15, 17, 21, and 25℃) and different nitrogen sources (control; NH-NH₄⁺ 100 μM; NO-NO₃^- 100 μM; and NHNO-NH₄⁺ 50 μM+NO₃^- 50 μM). The growth and growth rate of the blade were affected by temperature. The mean fresh weight and area-based daily growth rate were the highest (5.8±0.5 and 6.6±0.5% day^-1, respectively) at 15℃ and the lowest (2.2±0.2 and 3.0±0.3% day^-1, respectively) at 25℃. The daily growth rate was the highest in the NH and NO treatments and lowest in the control. The nitrate reductase activity of E. cava varied with water temperature (season). The highest activity was in the control (1.32±0.10 μmol NO₂^- g^-1 dry weight h^-1) and the lowest was in the NH treatment (0.25±0.02 μmol NO₂^- g^-1 dry weight h^-1). The photosynthetic pigment concentrations reached a maximum value in the NHNO treatment and a minimum value in the control. These results showed that water temperature played an important role in the cultivation of E. cava and that a single supply of NH₄⁺ or NO₃^- may induce the accelerated growth of E. cava. The growth and physiological responses of E. cava to different nitrogen sources during each season provide valuable information for determining the optimal nitrogen source in E. cava cultivation under indoor conditions.