Photoautotrophic growth of suspension cultures of Asparagus officinalis L. cells in turbidostats

Abstract

Photoautotrophic asparagus ( Asparagus officinalis L.) cell suspension cultures have been grown in steady state turbidostat culture for 500 h. Increasing the level of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) available for photosynthesis by operating at reduced culture density resulted in a 3-fold increase in average specific growth rate. The increased growth rate was accompanied by increases in the rate of respiration and the rate of light-saturated photosynthesis. Chlorophyll content and a b ratio remained unchanged but carotenoid content increased.