Potential uses and applications of Fucus in agriculture

Abstract

Representatives of the Fucus genus have been used for centuries as a source of food for humans and animals, in agriculture, and as a medicinal agent in traditional medicine. They are characterized by high nutritional values, being a good source of dietary fibre and minerals, especially iodine. Fucus vesiculosus, the most extensively studied species of Fucus, contains significant amounts of specific phenolic compounds (phlorotannins PT), the pigment fucoxanthin, minerals (mainly I and Ca), and bioactive polysaccharides (fucoidans, laminarins, and alginates). It is believed that macroalgae, which form a staple food in many Asian countries, could also become a food or feed ingredient in European markets. The Western world is showing interest in macroalgae and views them as "superfoods", primarily due to the growing interest in a healthy lifestyle and diet, as well as more sustainable food production. This paper presents an overview of the latest literature on the possibilities of using and applying algae from the Fucus genus in agriculture also in the context of retarding unfavourable changes in ecosystems.