Photoadaptation, photoinhibition and productivity in the blue-green alga, Spirulina platensis grown outdoors

Two Spirulina platensis strains, SP-G and SP-RB, resistant and sensitive to photoinhibition of photosynthesis, respectively, were grown outdoors in dense cultures and under different photon fluxes provided by shading. Cultures of both strains grown under full sunlight were more resistant to photoinhibition than those grown under nets with 15–50% decreases in the incident photon flux. Cultures grown outdoors were more resistant to photoinhibition than the laboratory ones. At noon, the photosynthetic activity, as expressed by O₂ evolution, was higher for cultures grown under 50% shade, as compared with unshaded cultures. Productivity of the shaded cultures, in terms of biomass produced per day, was always higher when the cultures were protected from photoinhibition.