Furthering knowledge of seaweed growth and development to facilitate sustainable aquaculture

Macroalgae (seaweeds) are the subject of increasing interest for their potential as a source of valuable, sustainable biomass in the food, feed, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Compared with microalgae, the pace of knowledge acquisition in seaweeds is slower despite the availability of whole-genome sequences and model organisms for the major seaweed groups. This is partly a consequence of specific hurdles related to these organisms' large size and slow growth. As a result, this basic scientific field is falling behind, despite these organisms' societal and economic importance. Here, we argue that sustainable management of seaweed aquaculture requires a fundamental understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms controlling macroalgal life cycles – from the production of germ cells to the growth and fertility of adult organisms – using diverse approaches requiring a broad range of technological tools. This Viewpoint highlights several examples of basic research on macroalgal developmental biology that could enable the step-changes required to meet the demands of the aquaculture sector adequately.