Dr. Pedro Murúa from the UACh led a global review of the most relevant aspects of the study of algae diseases

Written by Camila Muñoz Gonzáles, Journalist UACh.- He Dr. Pedro Murua, academic and researcher at the Institute of Aquaculture of the Austral University of Chile, Puerto Montt Campus and Millennium Nucleus MASH, participated in the preparation of a scientific publication that aimed to present an exhaustive review of the most relevant aspects of phycopathology within ecology biology and algae biosecurity.

The study starts by providing an overview of viruses, bacteria and eukaryotic symbionts, which, by interacting with algae in a variety of ways, can give life to different marine and freshwater diseases, but also regulate the dynamics, structure of ecosystems and biogeochemical and evolutionary processes.

It is in this context that phytonomy, also known as algal agronomy, comes to represent the need for a greater and better understanding of the interactions of algae diseases, where the underestimation of diversity and the lack of a phycopathological basis are constraints for the domestication of algae.

“With this work we basically wanted to resuscitate a little the concept of phycopathology that has been quite uprooted in recent times.. So, what the paper does is summarize the most important ecological and economic aspects associated with algae pathologies, to put them in biosafety contexts, which is an emerging line in algae aquaculture worldwide”, indicated the academic.

“The article summarizes the concept of algae, highlights its ecological and economic importance, and then puts algae pathogens as important ecological regulators. It also presents problems or challenges for aquaculture and how these relate to biosecurity.”added the UACh researcher.

Another important point to highlight is that the document reveals the limited but growing knowledge that exists in the biodiversity of algal pathogens and the ecological interaction with their algal hosts.

Finally, the researchers present a discussion on how ecology and farming experience contribute to and reinforce aquaculture practice, with the potential to reshape algal culture biosecurity policies globally.

The article is made thanks to a collaborative effort of Dr. Pedro Murúa, of the Institute of Aquaculture of the Austral University of Chile, Dr. Andrea Garvetto, of the Scottish Association of Marine Sciences of the United Kingdom and the Institute of Microbiology of the University Innsbruck from Austria; Dr. Suhelen Egan, from the Center for Marine Science and Innovation at the University of Sydney in Australia; and Dr. Claire MM Gachon, from the Natural History Museum and CNRS of France.