Optimization of red pigment production by endophytic pezicula sp. bdf9/1 through ovat and rsm methodology

Optimization of initial pH of the medium, suitable carbon, nitrogen sources, temperature, metal ions, phosphate source and C/N ratio for improvement in red pigment production by Pezicula sp. BDF 9/1 was carried out. Carbon sources like fructose and glucose were found important for growth and pigment production. Among the nitrogen sources glycine was found suitable for growth whereas maximum pigment production occurred with NaNO3. The pronounced formation of red pigment was found after the incubation time 20 days, initial medium pH 5.0 and at 23 C. C/N ratio 3: 0.8 was found suitable for both mycelial growth and pigment production. RSM optimization based on Box-Behnken Design (BBD) revealed that most influencing interaction of the variable on pigment production is in between temperature and glucose concentration followed by pH and temperature, and incubation time and pH. Furthermore, RSM study stated that maximum biopigment production (1.695 OD at 500nm) can be achieved when 20.15 days incubation time, 23.2 C temperature, 5.07 pH and 2% glucose were provided. The experimental result also very close to the predicted optimized response which validates the employment of the RSM in this case.