Mychonastes homosphaera (Chlorophyceae): A promising feedstock for high quality feed production in the arid environment

Rapid development and drastic population increase in Qatar have led to increasing awareness about food security. Microalgae are considered one of the most promising feedstocks owing to their ability to produce nutrients, including lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins, in addition to antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. In this study, 30 isolates of local freshwater microalgae were screened first based on their growth rate to select the most suitable strains for feed production. Based on the normality test, 15 fast-growing microalgae isolates were selected and subjected to further investigation of their metabolites content. The hierarchical Cluster Analysis conducted on lipids, proteins and carbohydrates contents subdivided these strains selected into 4 clusters, among them, the cluster one was grouping three Chlorella and two Mychonastes isolates with high nutritional values due to their high amounts of lipid and protein. The survey of metabolite production was performed every three days during growth in a volume of 3 L. We observed that the maximum amount of proteins and lipids was produced at day 6 and 14, respectively. The assessment of the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity of the top 5 strains proved that Mychonastes homosphaera isolate QUCCCM70 showed the highest antioxidant capacity. Moreover, results revealed the presence of essential amino acids and omega3 fatty acids. The screening evidenced a Mychonastes homosphaera strain QUCCCM70 with high nutritional value that can be considered as a promising alternative to produce a well-balanced animal feed supplement for a high quality of poultry and livestock products.