Abscisic Acid Production: Biotechnology Process Development and Scale-up

Abstract

In the last years it’s noted a growing interest in the use of microorganisms, and their metabolites, in agriculture. Microorganisms studied are those naturally present in the soils. Attention was focused on microorganisms producing abscissic acid (ABA). Their possible uses are in pre- and in post- harvest practices. ABA production was studied on laboratory scale, then costs were estimated for ABA industrial production that were compared with those of the products, containing ABA, on the market. The maximum ABA production rate(calculated by Monod model) is the one corresponding to B. cinerea in YD, at 298K, no stirring and sunlight, equal to 1.08E-8 kg m-3 s-1. In order to produce ABA with a cost lower than 20,000 €, it’s estimated that is necessary to have a bioreactor size between 15 - 20 m3. Relative investments costs estimates are about 1,400,000 €. To maintain supernatant, stream ABA rich, production cost below 1 €/kg, size bioreactor must beabout 10 m3, its relative investment costs are estimated about 1,300,000 €.