Culture studies of Ruppia maritima L in bicarbonate- and sucrose-based media

Media were compared for culture of the estuarine plant Ruppia maritima L. The best inorganic nutrient amendment was based on f/2 basal enrichment sails in artificial seawater. Using f/2 basal enrichments, Ruppia maritima could be grown in media where either bicarbonate or sucrose was provided as the major carbon source. The cytokinin 2iP (6[gamma,gamma-dimethylallylamino]-purine) stimulated more growth than BA (N-6-benzylaminopurine) in sucrose-based cultures. There was no significant effect of cytokinin addition in cultures growing in a bicarbonate-based medium. The addition of five vitamins did not improve growth. In an f/2 medium with bicarbonate as the carbon source, a pH of 7.5 appears to be adequate. Use of f/2 nutrient salts resulted in more growth than f/4 nutrients. These data suggest that the seagrass R. maritima grows well in a completely inorganic medium. Ruppia maritima appears to show physiological characteristics of an opportunistic species: minimal nutritional requirements and no requirements for complex exogenous growth substances. Cultures of this seagrass would be useful for a number of physiological, biochemical and environmental restoration studies.