Kagawa University Discovers Fastest-Growing Phytoplankton Ever

Kagawa University announced on July 13, 2012, that the University's Setouchi Area Research Center's research group has discovered a phytoplankton species that multiplies at an unprecedented speed compared to any known species. The research group, led by Associate Professor Kazuhiko Ichimi, called the phytoplankton a "super diatom." The research paper on this discovery was published on July 10, 2012, in the Journal of Phycology, an international journal of algal research.

Placed under intense sunlight and in warm water, the environment that simulates a coastal area in summer, the super diatom was observed to multiply over 1,000 times in one day, while even particularly rapid-growing phytoplankton multiplies only 16 times at most. The super diatom's growth speed is considered to be the fastest among all known photosynthetic organisms.

The super diatom would support an entire food chain from the bottom, make a significant contribution to nurturing a higher biotic community, and provide feed for marine creatures quickly. It may also serve as an absorbent for carbon dioxide (CO2) and provide fertilizing material, as well as be applied for effective production of biofuel and other useful substances.