Few studies have been done on cultivated
specimens. Most descriptions are based on
natural stocks collected from coastal areas and
other submerged strata in the intertidal and
shallow, subtidal zones (Marinho-Soriano et al.,
2006). Studies on the biochemical properties
of marine macroalgae in the same environment
are insufficient. Although seaweeds in Thailand
are extensive, they are relatively underutilized,
with most of them used mainly as animal feeds
and fertilizers in coastal villages (Ratana-arporn
and Chirapart, 2006). In addition, knowledge
about their nutritional composition is still limited
(Rameshkumar et al., 2012). Therefore, this study
was conducted to compare the growth rates of nine
marine macroalgae under culture conditions, as
well as to determine their chemical compositions
such as total protein, carbohydrate, fiber, lipid and
ash. The biochemical information of macroalgae
will be essential for the commercial food products
and health supplements industries.