Effect of oxygen supply on cell growth and saponin production in bioreactor cultures of Panax ginseng

The effects of oxygen supply within the range 20.8–50% (using pure oxygen and air), on cell cultures of Panax ginseng were investigated in a balloon-type bubble bioreactor (5 L capacity, containing 4 L Murashige and Skoog medium, supplemented with 7.0 mg L −1 indolebutyric acid, 0.5 mg L −1 kinetin and 30 g L −1 sucrose). A 40% oxygen supply was found to be optimal for the production of both cell mass and saponin yielding values of 12.8 g (DW) L −1, 4.5 mg (g DW) −1 on day 25, respectively. Low (20.8%, 30%) and high (50%) oxygen concentration supplies were unfavorable to cell growth and saponin accumulation. The results indicate that oxygen supplementation to bioreactor-based ginseng cultures was beneficial for biomass accumulation and saponin production.