“FROM COAST TO LAB: RED ALGAE JOURNEY FROM ITS COASTAL LOCATION IN INDIA TO ITS BIOTECHNOLOGICAL EXPLOITATION”

Abstract

Marine environment is the largest habitat in terms of area occupied on the planet, still most untapped resource found till today compared to terrestrial environment; less research work done on marine organisms evident the previous statement. Multiple sites of the coast of India such as Gujarat have been studied to find the fresh specimen. Different Gujarat coastal sites were visited during low tide time like Vijali Baru, Mahuva (Lat. 21° 2' 24.0036‘’N; Long. 71° 47' 53.5092''E), Nishkalank Mahadev Tample, Bhavnagar (21.5974125, 72.2924844), and Kodinar (20.7568750, 70.6589300). Red seaweed was freshly collected from the coastal region of Kodinar. Fresh red seaweeds were collected by cutting near hold fast without disturbing the algal bed from the collection spots mentioned earlier with the help of a small knife by following the method as described by Dawson (1956). Seaweed have been found in intertidal zone of the marine coast, sample must be collected during low tide period and for that reason, Tides timing from the local tide tables along with weather forecasts were kept analysed for the sample collection site visit. further analysis has been carried out in order to ensure after processing. Here the objective of the research work is to highlight the benefits along with the challenges and solutions achieved as different types of algal species perform different work as their capability to produce different metabolites.