Response surface methodology to optimize the nutritional parameters for enhanced production of jasmonic acid by Lasiodiplodia theobromae

Aims: To find out the cumulative effect of the nutritional parameters and to enhance the production of jasmonic acid (JA) in static fermentation by Lasiodiplodia theobromae using response surface methodology (RSM). Method and Results: Malt extract, sucrose, NaNO3 and MgSO4.7H(2)O were analysed by a 30-trial central composite design using RSM for optimizing their concentrations in the medium and the effect of their mutual interaction on JA production. Sucrose and NaNO3 were found highly significant in influencing the JA production. Malt extract and MgSO4.7H(2)O showed an effect on the JA production in interaction with other variables. When the optimum values of the parameters obtained through RSM (19.95 g l(-1) malt extract, 50 g l(-1) sucrose, 7.5 g l(-1) NaNO3 and 3.51 g l(-1) MgSO4.7H(2)O) were applied, 32% increase in JA production (299 mg l(-1)) was observed in comparison with 225 mg l(-1) of JA produced with same media components not analysed by RSM and subsequently validated the statistical model. Conclusions: Increase in JA production was achieved by optimizing the nutritional parameters. Significance and Impact of the Study: This is the first report of using RSM for optimizing a medium for JA production. It resulted in an increase in JA production without augmentation of costly additives.