Effect of Inoculum Size on Biomass Accumulation and Ginsenoside Production by Large-Scale Cell Suspension Cultures of Panax ginseng

Effect of Inoculum Size on Biomass Accumulation and Ginsenoside Production by Large-Scale Cell Suspension Cultures of Panax ginseng

Cell growth and ginseng saponin production by large-scale suspension (bioreactor) cultures of Panax ginseng were investigated under various inoculum sizes. Cell growth was low at an inoculum size of 40 g FW/L, and the maximum cell growth was obtained with increasing inoculum size up to 100 g FW/L. The cell density of 333 g FW/L and 12.7 g DW/L was obtained at inoculum size of 100 g FW/L after 30 days of cultivation. Maximum saponin production of $4.40\;\cal{mg/g}$ DW was achieved at 60 g FW/L of inoculum size. Thus, inoculum size 60 g FW/L was suitable for optimum biomass accumulation as well as saponin production during bioreactor cultivation of ginseng suspension cells.