Strain is a group of organisms that are members of a species that has special characteristics but do not be a descendant or variation separately. One factor the emergence of diversity in a species is geographic isolation. Geographic isolation causes offspring have different characteristics from the parent due to the interaction between the genotype and the environment. Seaweed Kappahycus alvarezii has some strains are much cultivated.
Seaweed cultivation is growing rapidly in the Philippines made the Philippines as a center for seaweed cultivation especially kind Kappaphycus alvarezii. Known strains of seaweed farmers in the community, among others:
(A) Tambalang, this strain has thalus long and large diameter with branching rare. Usually live in deep waters in the Philippines, but now also the strains that predominate in Indonesia, India, Sabah, Malaysia and Tanzania. Tambalang strains also have an assortment of colors that are generally known in the community of farmers. Among others tabalang green, brown and tambalang tambalang fawn like figure 3 below.
Figure 3. Various strains of seaweeds Kappaphycus alvarezii (a) tambalang green, (b) tambalang brown and (c) tambalang fawn
(B) Flower, this strain has ramification short, clump together like a flower. Many are found in coral areas Philippines. This strain has been widely cultivated in South Sulawesi and East Nusa Tenggara Indonesia
Figure 4. Strain the seaweed flower Kappaphycus alvarezii
(C) Vanguard, this strain ramifications shorter than Tambalang but has greater than Flower. It has been widely cultivated in Mindanao
Figure 5. Strain vanguard in seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii
(D) Bisaya, strain cross between Tambalang and Sacol, were found in Bohol Philippines
(E) Sacol, Kappaphycus alvarezii Sacol strain is derived from seaweed sacol Island, Philippines. Seaweed is commonly found at the bottom of the muddy waters and sandy, shaped clump of many short branches, with a diameter smaller thallus. Kappaphycus strain sacol bright green and grow round like a ball.
Figure 6. Strain the seaweed green sacol Kappaphycus alvarezii
(F) Sumba, a strain that has long branching and small, such as coarse hair, yet strong as Tambalang. This strain is a strain native Indonesian island of Sumba, but now has been widely cultivated in several regions in Indonesia, especially in Bali