Asparagopsis taxiformis

Asparagopsis taxiformis, (limu kohu) formerly A. sanfordiana,[1] is a species of red alga, with cosmopolitan distribution in tropical to warm temperate waters.[2]

Limukohu
Asparagopsis taxiformis in Mayotte.
Scientific classification
(unranked): Archaeplastida
Division: Rhodophyta
Class: Florideophyceae
Order: Bonnemaisoniales
Family: Bonnemaisoniaceae
Genus: Asparagopsis
Species:
A. taxiformis
Binomial name
Asparagopsis taxiformis
Synonyms

Asparagopsis sanfordiana

Lifecycle

Like many red algae, A. taxiformis has a haplodiplophasic lifecycle, with each phase morphologically distinct. The species' haploid stage was initially described as Falkenbergia hillebrandii (Bornet) Falkenberg 1901 because it was thought to be a separate species.

Culinary uses
Ahi limu poke.

Asparagopsis is one of the most popular types of limu.[3] in the cuisine of Hawaii, it is principally a condiment.[4] It is known as Limu kohu in the Hawaiian language meaning "pleasing seaweed".[5] Limu kohu is a traditional ingredient in poke.

The essential oil of limu kohu is 80% bromoform (tri-bromo-methane)[6] by weight, and includes many other bromine- and iodine-containing organic compounds.[4]

Methane emissions reduction in cattle

In 2014, researchers at CSIRO and James Cook University demonstrated that feeding ruminants a diet consisting of 1-2% percent red seaweed reduced their methane emissions by over 90 percent.[7] Of 20 types of seaweed tested, A. taxiformis showed the most promise, with nearly 99 percent effectiveness.[8] The findings spurred interest from leading academic and trade organizations to further investigate its effects on ruminant animal production.[9] Some findings of research on these effects have been that the dichloromethane extract (found in A. taxiformis) was the most potent bioactive, reducing methane production by 79 %. Other bioactives found were bromoform, dibromochloromethane, bromochloroacetic acid and dibromoacetic acid.[10]

Supply from wild harvest is not expected to be adequate to support broad adoption. A. taxiformis has yet to be commercially farmed at scale. A research/development initiative called Greener Grazing is seeking to close the life cycle of A. taxiformis and demonstrate ocean based grow-out.[11] A startup out of KTH Royal Institute of Technology; Volta Greentech and Symbrosia from Yale University, are both working to grow A. taxiformis. Symbrosia is looking to integrate the cultivation with Whiteleg shrimp on land, using a patent-pending technology.[12] Sea-based cultivation has been proposed as a path to scale production and "drive the cost down so it can be used by beef and dairy farmers around the world".[13]

See also

References
  1. Ní Chualáin, F.; Maggs, C.A.; Saunders, G.W. & Guiry, M.D. (2004). "The invasive genus Asparagopsis (Bonnemaisoniaceae, Rhodophyta): molecular systematics, morphology, and ecophysiology of Falkenbergia isolates". Journal of Phycology. 40 (6): 1112–1126. doi:10.1111/j.1529-8817.2004.03135.x.
  2. ":: Algaebase". www.algaebase.org. Retrieved 2016-10-19.
  3. Mary Kawena Pukui and Samuel Hoyt Elbert (2003). "lookup of limu kohu". in Hawaiian Dictionary. Ulukau, the Hawaiian Electronic Library, University of Hawaii Press. Retrieved October 8, 2010.
  4. B. Jay Burreson; et al. (1976). "Volatile halogen compounds in the alga Asparagopsis taxiformis (Rhodophyta)". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 24 (4): 856–861. doi:10.1021/jf60206a040.
  5. Mary Kawena Pukui and Samuel Hoyt Elbert (2003). "lookup of kohu". in Hawaiian Dictionary. Ulukau, the Hawaiian Electronic Library, University of Hawaii Press. Retrieved October 8, 2010.
  6. Burreson, B. Jay; Moore, Richard E.; Roller, Peter P. (1976). "Volatile halogen compounds in the alga Asparagopsis taxiformis (Rhodophyta)". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 24 (4): 856. doi:10.1021/jf60206a040.
  7. Machado, Lorenna; Magnusson, Marie; Paul, Nicholas A.; de Nys, Rocky; Tomkins, Nigel (2014-01-22). "Effects of Marine and Freshwater Macroalgae on In Vitro Total Gas and Methane Production". PLoS ONE. 9 (1): e85289. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0085289. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 3898960. PMID 24465524.
  8. "Seaweed could hold the key to cutting methane emissions from cow burps - CSIROscope". CSIROscope. 2016-10-14. Retrieved 2018-10-01.
  9. "Can Seaweed Cut Methane Emissions on Dairy Farms?". UC Davis. 2018-05-24. Retrieved 2018-10-01.
  10. Identification of bioactives from the red seaweed Asparagopsis taxiformis that promote antimethanogenic activity in vitro
  11. "Gassy cows are bad for the planet; could seaweed diet help?". AP News. Retrieved 2018-10-01.
  12. "Symbrosia". Retrieved 2018-11-21.
  13. Boys, Callan (15 February 2020). "The fish farmer growing seaweed to feed cows and save the planet". Good Food. Retrieved 2 April 2020.

Guiry, M.D.; Guiry, G.M. (2008). "'Asparagopsis taxiformis'". AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway.


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