“Central Sulawesi Province has a vast waters area stretching from Makassar Strait to Tomini Gulf, including straits between small islands scattered around the province. Therefore, it is important that we use the natural resources, including developing seaweed seedlings facility using tissue culture technique to increase seaweed production in Central Sulawesi Province”, said H. Moh. Arif Latjuba, SE, M.Si., the Head of Central Sulawesi Marine and Fisheries Service in his Welcome Remarks in the opening ceremony of the Training Course on Supplying Cottoni Seaweed Seedlings using Tissue Culture Technique, held in the headquarter of SEAMEO BIOTROP, Bogor, on 5 November 2019.

The training course was held as a follow-up action of the Memorandum of Agreement signed on 14 February 2019 between SEAMEO BIOTROP and the Central Sulawesi Marine and Fisheries Service on the Development of Tissue Culture Technique to Produce Cottoni Seaweed Seedlings (Kappaphycus alvarezii) for the Communities in Central Sulawesi Province.

Twenty six participants from Central Sulawesi Marine and Fisheries Service took part in this training course, which objectives were to develop and elevate the production of Cottoni seaweed using tissue culture technique, for the prosperity of Central Sulawesi communities. Central Sulawesi is the third largest seaweed producer after South Sulawesi and East Nusa Tenggara Provinces.

Since 2010, SEAMEO BIOTROP has been developing tissue culture technique for seaweed propagation, with its expert, Dr Erina Sulistiani, as the first person who establishes tissue culture technique for seaweed propagation.  Since then, the technique has been going through several modifications to achieve perfection. 

The training course was arranged in classroom and practical works sessions.  Training materials and resource persons were: 1) Tissue culture technique for producing plant seedlings  (Dr Erina Sulistiani); 2) Tissue culture phases to propagate Cottoni seaweed (Dr Erina Sulistiani); 3) Facilities requirement for producing seaweed seedlings using tissue culture technique (Mr Samsul A. Yani); 4) Contamination sources and aseptic technique (Mr Samsul A. Yani); 5) Culture media used in seaweed tissue culture (Dr Erina Sulistiani); 6) Preparing PES and CW stock solutions (Dr Erina Sulistiani); 7) Preparing vitamins, BAP and IAA stock solutions (Mr Samsul A. Yani); 8) Preparing media culture for seaweed propagation (Mr Samsul A. Yani); 9) Acclimatization of seaweed parent stock and plantlet in greenhouse condition (Mr Samsul A. Yani); 10) Acclimatization of seaweed parent stock in laboratory condition (Mr Samsul A. Yani); 11) Preparing culture media and explant for sterilization process (Mr Samsul A. Yani); 12) Seaweed explant sterilization (Dr Erina Sulistiani); 13) Planting of seaweed explant to induce calluses growth (Dr Erina Sulistiani); 14) Subculturing seaweed calluses (Dr Erina Sulistiani); 15) Seaweed plantlets acclimatization and development of seaweed seedlings garden (Ms Emy Rusyani, S.Pi., M.Si); 16) Subculturing micropropagule (Dr Erina Sulistiani); and 17) Subculturing propagule in aerated condition (Dr Erina Sulistiani).

Further follow-up actions succeeding this training course are the building seaweed tissue culture laboratory and seaweed seedlings garden in several parts in Central Sulawesi Province.
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