Effect of culture conditions on batch growth ofPseudomonas fluorescens on olive oil

Summary

Batch cultures ofPseudomonas fluores-cens were grown in minimal medium with olive oil as the sole carbon source. When olive oil me-dium was inoculated with cells from nutrient broth there was an initial lag phase followed by logarithmic growth. The duration of the lag phase was influenced by the incubation temperature and the growth phase of the inoculum. Both factors are known to affect lipase induction during growth in fat-free media. Maintenance of condi-tions reported to be conducive to lipase produc-tion in cultures used for inoculation ensured a minimal lag before logarithmic growth com-menced on olive oil. Growth on oil occurred when the culture was maintained at pH 6 or 7, but did not occur at pH 5 or 8.