RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN INITIAL NUTRIENT CONCENTRATION AND TOTAL GROWTH

Abstract
The relationship observed between maximal attainable growth in a microbial population and initial concentration of limiting nutrient depends upon the parameter selected for measurement of growth. A linear relationship is found only when cell mass is the parameter. When population is used as the measure of growth, the relationship is: Nmax = K[image]C[degree]S, where Nmax is the maximal attainable population, Co is the initial concentration of limiting nutrient and K[image] and s are constants. The use of this expression in demonstrating subtle differences between strains is shown.