Caulerpa lentillifera is a green algae that distributes worldwide and is cultivated for food.
We assessed vegetative propagation of C . lentillifera by measuring the specifi c growth rate (SGR) and
chlorophyll fl uorescence of the green algae cultured at different salinities and nutrient levels. The results
indicated that C . lentillifera can survive in salinities ranging from 20 to 50, and can develop at salinities
of 30 to 40. The maximum SGR for C . lentillifera occurred at a salinity of 35. Both chlorophyll content
and the ratio of variable to maximum fl uorescence ( F
v
/ F
) were also at a maximum at a salinity of 35.
Photosynthesis was inhibited in salinities greater than 45 and less than 25. Both the maximum SGR and
maximum chlorophyll content were found in algae treated with a concentration of 0.5 mmol/L of NO
m
-N
and 0.1 mmol/L of PO
-P. The photosynthetic capacity of photosystem II (PSII) was inhibited in cultures
of C . lentillifera at high nutrient levels. This occurred when NO
4
-N concentrations were greater than
1.0 mmol/L and when PO
4
3
-P concentrations were at 0.4 mmol/L. As there is strong need for large-scale
cultivation of C . lentillifera , these data contribute important information to ensure optimal results.