Determination of growth and total carotenoid production characteristics at two Dunaliella sp. strains isolated from İzmir Çamaltı saltern and Tuz lake

Dunaliella species, which constitute the first ring of the food chain in salt production plants, salty and soda lakes in our country, are able to exhibit rapid growth characteristics and wide tolerance to environmental factors. Dunaliella sp. strain AQUAMEB 9 was isolated from İzmir Çamaltı Saltern, while AQUAMEB 20 strain isolated from Tuz Lake. All strains were obtained from BTU culture collection. Plymouth Erd-Schreiber culture medium with a salinity of 165 ppt was used as culture medium. AQUAMEB 9 and AQUAMEB 20 strains were subjected to experiments to examine growth and beta carotene production at constant temperature (24 ° C ± 1), low light (65 µmol.foton.m-2.s-1) and high light (650 µmol.foton.m-2. s-1) intensities, 2 and 3 repetitions, respectively. Growth experiments continued until the end of the stationary phase. Cell growth was determined by using the Uthermohl method under the microscope. Total carotenoids quantity were determined by spectrophotometric methods. As a result of the study, the cell numbers and total carotenoid amounts of AQUAMEB 9 and AQUAMEB 20 Dunaliella sp. strains were determined under high light intensity. It was found that the number of cells and total carotenoid amounts increased in repetitions. High light intensity has been found the have on effect on increasing growth and pigment production. It was determined that high light intensity had an effect on growth and pigment production, and AQUAMEB 9 and AQUAMEB 20 Dunaliella sp. strains have different pigment production potentials at different light intensities.