Publications
NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.
2026
Authors
Hasriani Ayu Lestari Fahrurrozi Izzuddin Wahyu Purbiantoro Yanti Inneke Nababan Zaenal Arifin Siregar Hikmaturrohmi Hikmaturrohmi Eka Sunarwidhi Prasedya Michael RoledaAbstract
The ice-ice disease (IID) impacting the commercially important eucheumatoid seaweed Kappaphycus striatus is characterized by thallus bleaching (whitening), softening, and subsequent disintegration of the affected tissue. The occurrence of IID is thought to be stress-related release of dissolve organic carbon exudates that are utilized as substrate for microbial growth. The presence of pathogenic bacteria can subsequently induce IID manifestations that can jeopardize crop health. In this study, we investigated the role of pathogenic bacteria isolated from diseased green cultivar of K. striatus in inducing IID symptoms in healthy non-axenic brown cultivar of the same species under controlled laboratory conditions. Healthy branches of K. striatus were exposed to four distinct bacterial strains: three isolated from the diseased K . striatus ( Vibrio brasiliensis strain A8, V . brasiliensis strain B2 and V . chemaguriensis strain V1) and a positive control Cytobacillus solani strain-V2. Over a period of ten days, routine administration of each bacterium was conducted during the daily renewal of the filtered seawater medium. The occurrence of symptoms, i.e., typical of IID infection, was observed in samples subjected to additional bacterium but not under the control condition with natural microbiome. Our findings suggest that the presence of pathogenic bacteria, even under non-stressful laboratory conditions, can induce IID disease syndrome with various manifestations, including the development of wounds, abrasions, thallus bleaching, and fragmentation. The samples infected with the positive control C. solani strain-V2 exhibited the most severe bleaching at 80%, followed by V. brasiliensis strain-A8 at 60%, while V. brasiliensis strain-B2 and V, chemaguriensis strain-V1 both induced 50% thallus bleaching.
Authors
Divya Karthick Rajan Durairaj Karthick Rajan Jayakumar Rajarajeswaran Nagarajan Revathi Shubing Zhang Kannan Mohan Abirami Ramu GanesanAbstract
Edible coleopteran insects are an important source for sustainable protein and generating chitin as a significant waste (exuviae, cuticle residues, and frass), which can be valorized into value-added biopolymers. These side-streams can be diverted for chitin and chitosan production due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability in biomaterial applications which gained attention in recent times. Therefore, this review evaluates various types of chitin and chitosan extractions and their structural characterization suitable for industrial applications. The nutritional and bioactive functionalities of chitin as derived from coleoptera insect side-streams were critically discussed. Furthermore, it also distinguishes the presence of α-, β-, and γ-chitin polymorphic forms exhibited in the coleopterans order with recent research gaps was also discussed herein. Currently, there is no literature review that describes the roles of coleopteran side-streams derived chitin and chitosan. Hence, this review not only underscores the potential for chitin production from coleopteran side-streams but also outlines critical bottlenecks that warrant further investigation in biopolymer chemistry. Moreover, it provides comprehensive recommendations to facilitate the scale-up of chitin and chitosan derived from coleopteran side-streams as an added advantage for new business models.
2025
Abstract
Carrageenophytes such as Eucheuma and Kappaphycus play a vital role in supporting coastal economies and supplying the global hydrocolloid industry, with Indonesia producing over 75% of the world’s supply. However, the unregulated use of chemical liquid fertilisers (CLF) in seaweed farming poses serious ecological and socio-economic threats. In Sikka Regency, Indonesia, CLF use contributed to a decade-long collapse in cultivation, worsened by destructive fishing practices. Although efforts to revive farming began in 2018, current monitoring data are limited and fragmented. Nutrient over-enrichment from fertilisers has been linked to harmful algal blooms, epiphyte overgrowth, and diseases like ice-ice. While countries like the Philippines have introduced standards such as the GAqP for seaweeds, Indonesia still lacks formal regulation on fertiliser use. Misleading scientific claims and social media endorsements further promote detrimental practices. This article highlights the urgent need for public awareness, science-based guidelines, and coordinated policy to safeguard sustainable seaweed aquaculture. Extension services, farmer cooperatives, and social media can raise awareness, but added resources are required for guidelines, stronger policies, and market incentives discouraging CLF use.
Abstract
Poster Presentation at the 58th European Marine Biology Symposium (EMBS) in Bodø, Norway | 6-9th July 2025
Authors
Kannan Mohan Sabariswaran Kandasamy Tamilselvan Pachiannan Krishnaswamy Ezhilan Vivekanandan Ramya Preethi Surendran Abirami Ramu GanesanAbstract
The search for renewable and sustainable energy sources is increasing worldwide, urges the identification of biofuels from insects. The possibility of producing biodiesel and biogas from insects has gained significant attention as a better alternative to conventional fossil fuels. This approach is due to the presence of high lipid and protein contents of certain insect species, including black soldier fly larvae, mealworms and crickets, which can be cultivated on organic waste streams. Insects such as black soldier flies and mealworms require minimal water and land for cultivation, and their waste-based diet reduces environmental impacts while promoting waste valorization compared to traditional biofuel feedstocks. Insects’ lipids can be extracted and converted into biodiesel through transesterification, while the remaining biomass, rich in proteins and other organic materials, can be anaerobically digested to produce biogas. This dual production pathway not only maximizes energy output but also generates valuable by-products, such as residual organic fertilizer. This review emphasizes the potential of insect-based biofuel conversion and its recent advances. The challenges in scaling up the process, and optimizing yields are critically evaluated. The environmental and technological parameters of the entire biofuel production process from insects are discussed in terms of their sustainability aspects.
Abstract
Synthetic plastics of petrochemical origin pose serious health risks to humans and animals, along with creating unwarranted stress on the environment. Recent years have witnessed the enormity of the depletion of natural resources to produce synthetic plastics. Of late, biodegradable bio-packaging materials are gaining attention due to stringent regulations against the usage of single-use plastics and microplastic deposition in the environment. This has led to the development of sustainable, eco-friendly, cost-effective biopackaging materials (mainly biodegradable bioplastics). Though certain drawbacks persist, the use of bio-packaging materials in food industries offers a lower carbon footprint, presents an environmentally friendly solution, and is cost-effective, especially when sustainable sources of raw materials are used. In this regard, agri-food industry-generated biomass/feedstock (wastes and processing by-products) has been explored and efficiently valorized to produce biodegradable plastics. Packaging solutions derived from agri-food wastes and by-products represent an innovative approach to address both resource efficiency and environmental-friendliness and support the circular economy concepts. This chapter aims to provide information on current developments in packaging solutions available in food industries, challenges, and opportunities for the future.
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Authors
Alexander Jueterbock Clément Gauci Anne Margrete Leiros Nilsen Niko Steiner Ananya Khatei Griffin Goldstein Hill Leo Minini Christian Guido Bruckner Nikolai Buer Ralf Rautenberger Mark J. Cock Inka BartschAbstract
Kelp farming is an essential component of the European blue economy, yet rising ocean temperatures threaten its sustainability. Breeding resistant strains takes several years, and reduces genetic diversity. Priming-induced epigenetic could rapidly enhance stress resilience and performance, but must be adapted from terrestrial plants to kelp and its bi-phasic life-cycle. Research investigating the long-term impacts of nursery conditions at the gametophyte stage on the growth and resilience of sporophytes is scarce. Our research shows that temmperature extremes at the gametophyte stage can significantly influence the growth, productivity, and thermal tolerance at the sporophyte stage, demonstrating transgenerational effects. We propose three aspects to advance biotechnological research to generate resilient kelp without breeding: 1) a mariculture test framework that allows to assess the influence of early life cycle stage treatments on sporophyte characteristics, balancing the operational capacity of commercial-scale farms with the replication in smaller production units; 2) the specificities of kelp epigenetics as a potential mechanism to carry a memory of environmental effects from the gametophyte stage to the sporophyte stage, and an angle point for non-genetic adaptation; 3) a modeling approach to simulate the effects of increasing thermal tolerance on the potential recovery of kelp habitat and farming area under projected climate change. Integrating a mariculture trial framework with molecular biology, and ecological modeling offers a pathway to develop resilient and kelp strains that show enhanced growth without compromising biodiversity or regulatory frameworks.