Culture of the astaxanthin-producing green alga Haematococcus pluvialis 1. Effects of nutrients on growth and cell type

Borowitzka, M.A., Huisman, J.M. and Osborn, A. (1991) Culture of the astaxanthin-producing green alga Haematococcus pluvialis 1. Effects of nutrients on growth and cell type. Journal of Applied Phycology, 3 (4). pp. 295-304.

Abstract

The freshwater green alga Haematococcus pluvialis (Strain Vischer 1923/2) grows best at high nitrate concentrations (about 0.5 to 1.0 g 1-1 KNO3), intermediate phosphate concentration (about 0.1 g 1-1 K2HPO4) and over a wide range of Fe concentrations. Low nitrate or high phosphate induce the formation of reddish palmella cells and aplanospores. Mixotrophic growth with acetate improves growth rate and final cell yield, and also stimulates the formation of the astaxanthin-containing palmella cells and aplanospores. H. pluvialis cannot grow above about 28 °C, or above a salinity of approximately 1% w/v NaCl. An increase in temperature or the addition of NaCl also stimulates the formation of palmella cells and aplanospores.