The effects of water motion on fragmentation of <i>Asparagopsis armata</i>

ABSTRACT The red seaweed Asparagopsis armata presents a promising solution to reducing methane production in ruminant livestock when included in their daily diet. To effectively address these emissions from ruminants in an effort to meet crucial climate targets, the development of efficient cultivation methods for the large‐scale aquaculture of this species is imperative. This study examined the effects of water motion, specifically the effect of water turbulence and laminar velocity on fragmentation of two key life stages of A . armata to understand the potential for fragmentation to contribute to vegetative propagation for commercial cultivation and to assess the potential for losses from marine farms. Increased water motion generally resulted in greater fragmentation in the tetrasporophyte and gametophyte life stages of A. armata . Greater seawater turbulence and velocities led to a greater number, biomass and size of fragments from tetrasporophytes, resulting in an increased number of potentially viable vegetative propagules. The findings of this research contribute to the understanding of fragmentation of A. armata to inform the development of efficient and sustainable aquaculture, contributing to the goal of reducing agricultural methane emissions.