The effect of medium constituents on growth and diosgenin production by Dioscorea deltoidea cells grown in batch cultures.

The effect of nitrogen and carbon sources on growth and diosgenin production was studied with Dioscorea deltoidea cells which were grown under defined conditions in a chemostat, and transferred to batch cultures. Both ammonium and nitrate nitrogen were required for growth and steroid production; diosgenin production was maximal at higher amounts of nitrogen. The nature and concentration of the carbon source (sugar) had marked effects on diosgenin production. A maximal amount of diosgenin (3.8% of dry wt.) was produced on sucrose (15 g/liter) after 21 days of growth in a batch culture.