Impact of Ice-ice Infection and Epiphyte to Eucheuma cottonii Growth

Seaweed, Eucheuma cottonii, is one of marine products that have significant economic value. Development of seaweed cultivation is an attempt to meet the high market demand. One of the problems faced by seaweed cultivation is the presence of ice-ice and epiphytic infection. Unpredictable weather changes during the turn of seasons can lead to the increase of ice-ice and epiphytic infection, which in could cause the low growth of Eucheuma cottonii. This research aimed to determine the impact of ice-ice and epiphytes infection on the growth of E. cottonii in Sumenep, Madura Island. The research was conducted using floating raft method. Furthermore, from the infected E. cottonii thallus of ice-ice and epiphytic was observed by morphological abnormalities and calculated the average daily gain. The results showed that ice-ice and epiphytic infected of thallus in raft about 40.19-57.71% at day 30 and than increase to 90.24-95.24% at day 60. This infection caused the average daily gain of E. cottonii decreased until -3.76% at day 45. At this period the infected E. cottonii should be harvested immediately.