Synchronous Cultures of Algae

Abstract

A large scale culture chamber (40 liters in capacity) was constructed for the synchronization of Chlorella. Algae which reproduce sexually are more difficult to synchronize than those reproducing asexually. It was important to make the "synchronous" cultures as homogeneous as possible in intending to use a large cell population as a magnified replica of a single cell. "Completeness" of synchrony is by no means a decisive test for the homogeneity of the population. In working with algae whose populations are likely to become heterogeneous on being subjected to some "synchronizing" techniques, awareness of and efforts to improve, the heterogeneity are deemed to be highly relevant.