Introduction

The proper conservation and cultivation of seaweed beds, as well as an understanding of breeding strategies, are necessary for the sustainable production of seaweed. Because the successful breeding of seaweed requires its reproduction at the optimal time, seaweed is believed to tightly regulate its transition from growth to reproduction by sensing changes in the external environment. However, the mechanisms of controlling such a transition are unknown. Thus, our laboratory is conducting research on the reproductive mechanisms of seaweed, focusing on the red alga Pyropia/Neopyropia, a seaweed that is actively cultivated in the Asian region for its use as a raw material. In addition, based on our findings, we are conducting research on the reproductive mechanisms of the red alga Agarophyton vermiculophyllum, which is an important raw material for agar.