Development of odor sensing culture method for microalga Scenedesmus sp. (Chlorophyta) as novel agricultural crops

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K19171
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 41:Agricultural economics and rural sociology, agricultural engineering, and related fields
• Research Institution: Saga University
• Principal Investigator: Ueno Daisuke 佐賀大学, 農学部, 准教授 (60423604)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-07-09 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 微細藻類 / イカダモ / 分析化学 / におい嗅ぎガスクロマトグラフ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Although several microalgae species have been used for industrial purposes, it is generally difficult to visually observe their growth conditions during cultivation. Our group has attempted to develop a way to control algae cultivation, using a method we refer to as “Odor Sensing Cultivation” (OSC). This is a new and simple observation method that is based on the odors produced by algae. In this study, as a representative microalgal species, Scenedesmus sp. was employed. Odors produced from its culture were investigated by olfactory evaluation, chemical identification. As a result of olfactory evaluation, “green tea”, “sweet”, and “fishy” were the characteristic odors identified from this species. In the chemical analysis, the odors from this species were identified as 1-nonanal, 2-undecenal, α-ionone, β-ionone, and tentatively identified as acetic acid. These results suggest that the OSC is applicable as a practical technique for production of this species.

Free Research Field

におい農学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

嗅覚官能評価によるにおいの印象と理化学分析を併用することで，イカダモの収穫適期を把握できるだけでなく，細胞増殖の活性や健康状態，バクテリアの混入，他種の微細藻類の混入など，総合的な培養状態の変化を判別できる技術の可能性が示された．将来的に生産現場においてOSCを活用するためには，官能的/理化学的な指標に対する“判別基準”が必要となる．現在，生産現場と同等の大量培養条件の実験を計画しており，イカダモの多面的な培養状態の変化と，嗅覚官能評価および化学分析結果との関連性を検証し，OSCに向けた判別基準の策定が望まれる．