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Plants
Special Issues
Algal Growth and Biochemical Responses to Environmental Stress
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Algal Growth and Biochemical Responses to Environmental Stress

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Response to Abiotic Stress and Climate Change".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 1911

Special Issue Editors

Dr. José Bonomi Barufi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Botany Department, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brazil
Interests: photobiology; photosynthesis; ecophysiology; bioremediation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Nelso Navarro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Sciences, University of Magallanes, Punta Arenas, Chile
Interests: seaweed reproduction; ecophysiology; photobiology; aquatic photosynthesis; biotechnology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Algal growth and biochemical responses to environmental stress play a crucial role in understanding the adaptability of algae to changing environmental conditions. Algae, being primary producers in aquatic ecosystems, are highly sensitive to factors such as temperature, light intensity, salinity, and pollutants. Environmental stress can significantly impact their growth and reproductive patterns, metabolic pathways, and the synthesis of bioactive compounds.

This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances in the study of algal responses to various environmental stressors, focusing on how these factors influence algal physiology, biochemical composition, and secondary metabolite production. We encourage contributions that explore the molecular mechanisms underlying stress responses in algae, as well as innovative methods for monitoring and enhancing algal growth under adverse environmental conditions.

Dr. José Bonomi Barufi
Dr. Nelso Navarro
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • algal growth
  • biochemical responses
  • environmental stress
  • secondary metabolites
  • photobiology
  • aquatic photosynthesis
  • carbon fixation
  • photochemical reactions

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 1448 KB  
Article
Vegetative Propagation of Dictyota kunthii (Dictyotales, Phaeophyceae) Through Thallus Fragmentation and Ligulae: Potential Alternatives for Cultivation
by Cristian Bulboa, Loretto Contreras-Porcia, Jean Pierre Remonsellez, Camila Mora, Kathya Gomez, Natalia Godoy, Cristian Agurto and Cristian Rogel
Plants 2025, 14(21), 3387; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14213387 - 5 Nov 2025
Viewed by 367
Abstract
The growing interest in the commercial exploitation of the bioactive components of Dictyota species, including Dictyota kunthii due to its antifungal activity and use in the development of innovative bioproducts, depends on the availability of biomass. In this context, the cultivation of this [...] Read more.
The growing interest in the commercial exploitation of the bioactive components of Dictyota species, including Dictyota kunthii due to its antifungal activity and use in the development of innovative bioproducts, depends on the availability of biomass. In this context, the cultivation of this species emerges as a promising alternative. This study examined thallus fragmentation and ligulae development as methods to produce D. kunthii. Accordingly, thalli were divided into apical, middle, and basal sections to generate the respective tissue fragments, which were cultured under controlled conditions. On the other hand, ligulae development was studied under different conditions of photon flux density (10, 35 and 65 µmol m−2s−1); temperature (10, 17 °C); photoperiod (8:16, 12:12, 16:08 h [Light:Dark]), and seawater enrichment:Basfoliar®, Compo Expert, Krefeld, Germany and von Stosch solutions. The results show that fragmented thalli were non-viable, exhibiting neither wound healing nor regeneration at the cut sites. Furthermore, no buds or new branches were formed. In contrast, ligulae developed under all tested conditions, with nutrients, light, temperature, and photon flux enhancing apical cell formation and branching. We conclude that ligulae can effectively be used as propagules to cultivate fast-growing, branched D. kunthii plantlets. Accordingly, we recommend using a suspended culture system at 17 °C with a 12:12 (Light:Dark) photoperiod and 65 µmol m−2 s−1 light intensity, as well as adding nutrients (Basfoliar® at 0.1 mL L−1). Under these conditions, growth rates equal to or exceeding 10% d−1 can be achieved, supporting the feasibility of scaling up to larger volumes for biomass production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Algal Growth and Biochemical Responses to Environmental Stress)
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18 pages, 3724 KB  
Article
Influence of Nitrate and Light on Fucoxanthin Content and Key Gene Expression in the Marine Diatom Thalassiosira rotula
by Maria Letizia Madeo, Ida Orefice, Michele Ferrari, Teresa Greca, Leonardo Bruno, Giovanna Romano and Radiana Cozza
Plants 2025, 14(21), 3344; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14213344 - 31 Oct 2025
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Abstract
Fucoxanthin is the predominant carotenoid in diatoms, playing a central role in light harvesting and photoprotection, and is increasingly valued for its potential in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetic applications. In this study, we investigated the influence of high nitrate supplementation, low-light exposure, and [...] Read more.
Fucoxanthin is the predominant carotenoid in diatoms, playing a central role in light harvesting and photoprotection, and is increasingly valued for its potential in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetic applications. In this study, we investigated the influence of high nitrate supplementation, low-light exposure, and combined treatment, on fucoxanthin content and on the expression of key genes involved in its biosynthetic pathway in the marine diatom Thalassiosira rotula. Fucoxanthin content was quantified using HPLC-based and spectrophotometric methods. Control culture at the exponential growth phase showed a fucoxanthin content of 4.7 mg g−1 DW, reaching 5.2 mg g−1 DW under low-light conditions at the late exponential phase. Gene expression analysis revealed condition-dependent modulation of major biosynthetic genes (PSY, PDS, ZCIS, CRTISO, ZEP, VDL, DDE). Early biosynthetic genes, PSY and PDS, were upregulated under low light, whereas ZCIS and CRTISO responded to high nitrate availability. ZEP exhibited treatment-specific induction and VDL isoforms showed differential regulation, highlighting distinct xanthophyll cycle gene expression patterns across treatments. These results demonstrate that both light and nitrate availability modulate fucoxanthin content and biosynthetic gene expression in T. rotula, providing insights into the regulatory mechanisms underlying carotenoid metabolism in diatoms and proposing T. rotula as a potential candidate for fucoxanthin production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Algal Growth and Biochemical Responses to Environmental Stress)
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17 pages, 4274 KB  
Article
Photomorphogenic and Biochemical Effects of Radiation and Nitrate Availability on the Red Alga Plocamium cartilagineum
by Bruna Rodrigues Moreira, Julia Vega, Marta García-Sánchez, Cristina González-Fernández, Antonio Avilés, José Bonomi-Barufi and Félix L. Figueroa
Plants 2025, 14(7), 1121; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14071121 - 3 Apr 2025
Viewed by 791
Abstract
Non-photosynthetic photoreceptors detecting different wavelength ranges in the UV and visible region of spectra may trigger algal acclimation and homeostasis. We studied Plocamium cartilagineum responses based on the saturation of photosynthesis by Amber light and supplementation by different light qualities, applying an experimental [...] Read more.
Non-photosynthetic photoreceptors detecting different wavelength ranges in the UV and visible region of spectra may trigger algal acclimation and homeostasis. We studied Plocamium cartilagineum responses based on the saturation of photosynthesis by Amber light and supplementation by different light qualities, applying an experimental design able to simulate a daily cycle in a fully automated system. Thalli were exposed to Amber, Amber + UV-A, Amber + Blue and Amber + Green radiation treatments under two nitrate levels (60 and 240 μM) for enrichment lasting two weeks. P. cartilagineum photosynthesis and biochemistry were measured during different experimental periods. Photosynthesis showed only slight variations, emphasizing that other response variations could be activated by photomorphogenic pathways. Nitrate assimilation was higher in the treatments containing blue and green lights, potentially caused by increasing nitrate reductase activity. Photosynthetic pigments and mycosporine-like amino acids were affected over the two weeks, being mostly influenced by UV-A and blue radiations with the highest nitrate concentration. The shinorine content of thalli under blue radiation with 240 μM of nitrate increased at day 7, possibly modulated by a blue light photoreceptor. The increase in the bioactive compounds in the short-term by specific light qualities under optimal photosynthetic performance was found to be a relevant biotechnological strategy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Algal Growth and Biochemical Responses to Environmental Stress)
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