In the present study, Haematococcus lacustris RRGK which is the former name of H. lacustris HPI-001 isolated from Himachal Pradesh, India, and another strain H. lacustris SAG-19a retrieved from Gottingen Culture Collection, Germany, were used. The H. lacustris SAG-19a served as a control. The both strains were grown in a Bold basal medium in which the components of NaNO 3 , K 2 HPO 4 •3H 2 O and KH 2 PO 4 were replaced with agriculture fertilizers such as NPK (17:17:17), urea (CH 4 N 2 O) and DAP (diammonium phosphate; (NH 4 ) 2 HPO 4 + potash (K 2 CO 3 ) in different concentrations. The isolate of H. lacustris HPI-001 showed maximum growth at 1.2 mM NPK, while the H. lacustris SAG-19a showed maximum growth at 1.5 mM. However, both the strains showed maximum astaxanthin content at 0.6 mM NPK. The H. lacustris HPI-001 showed a maximum growth and astaxanthin content with 3.3 mM and 4.9 mM of urea, respectively, while H. lacustris SAG-19a showed maximum growth and astaxanthin accumulation with 3.3 mM and 6.6 mM of urea, respectively. The H. lacustris HPI-001 showed maximum growth at 250 mg/L (NH 4 ) 2 HPO 4 + 200 mg/L K 2 CO 3 and maximum astaxanthin content at 150 mg/L (NH 4 ) 2 HPO 4 + 100 mg/L K 2 CO 3 , while the maximum growth in H. lacustris SAG-19a was observed at 200 mg/L (NH 4 ) 2 HPO 4 + 150 mg/L K 2 CO 3 , and the maximum astaxanthin content at 150 mg/L (NH 4 ) 2 HPO 4 + 100 mg/L K 2 CO 3 . The basal medium was also amended with the addition of commercial NaHCO 3 wherein the maximum growth and content of astaxanthin in H. lacustris HPI-001 was at 0.6 mM and 1.5 mM of NaHCO 3 , respectively. The H. lacustris SAG-19a showed maximum growth and astaxanthin content at 1.5 mM and 0.6 mM, respectively. Based on the investigation, a medium was formulated and named as modified HPI-001 medium. The results of the present study suggest that commercial agricultural fertilizers may be used as excellent substitutes to enhance cell growth and astaxanthin production in H. lacustris.
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