Abstract: A plant cultivation device and the like capable of growing a plant while preventing leaves thereof from curling are provided. The device includes: a first illumination irradiating the plant to be cultivated with blue light; a second illumination irradiating the plant with red light; and a controller controlling irradiation of the blue light from the first illumination and irradiation of the red light from the second illumination, wherein the controller controls the blue light irradiation to be performed 21 hours or more a day including a case in which the blue light irradiation is performed 5 hours or more without performing the red light irradiation, and the red light irradiation to be performed 12 hours or more a day.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for culturing photosynthetic microalgae with which xanthophyll can be obtained more efficiently than before.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for culturing photosynthetic microalgae with which xanthophyll can be obtained more efficiently than before. The culture method of the present invention comprises a step of performing light irradiation of encysted photosynthetic microalgae containing xanthophyll in an amount of 3 to 9% by mass in terms of a dry mass. Preferably, in the step of performing light irradiation, the xanthophyll content in photosynthetic microalgae is kept at 2% by mass or more in terms of a dry mass. Preferably, the step of performing light irradiation includes step (A) of increasing the number of cells in which light irradiation (a) is performed; and step (B) of increasing the xanthophyll content in photosynthetic microalgae in which light irradiation (b) of the photosynthetic microalgae subjected to the step (A) of increasing the number of cells is performed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for collecting xanthophylls, the method comprising an adsorption step of contacting a sample containing xanthophylls with a hydrophilic resin to allow the resin to adsorb the xanthophylls; and a desorption step of eluting the xanthophylls adsorbed to the resin with a polar solvent. Preferably, the method comprises a step of washing the resin between the adsorption step and the desorption step. As the resin, a hydrophilic, acrylic and/or methacrylic resin is preferably used.

Abstract: The present invention provides means for increasing the storage stability of astaxanthin in a green algal extract, and a green algal extract containing astaxanthin having high storage stability. The present invention provides a green algal extract comprising astaxanthin at a concentration of 0.5 to 20 wt % expressed in terms of free astaxanthin, and at least one phospholipid at a phospholipid concentration of 0.1 to 15 wt %. This green algal extract has an excellent ability to store stably astaxanthin, and even after storage for one week at 60° C. it is possible to retain approximately 80% or more of the astaxanthin.

Abstract: A method for preserving xanthophyll in algal cells comprising the steps of cultivating algal cells containing xanthophyll and then collecting the algal cells; and drying the collected algal cells so that they have a moisture content of 3 wt % or less. Preferably, drying is performed using spray drying and under drying conditions such that the temperature of air discharged in a spray drier is 125° C. or more. In such dry algal cells, xanthophyll can be preserved stably for a long term.