Four indigenous thermo-tolerant Desmodesmus sp. strains were examined for their ability to produce lutein. Among them, Desmodesmus sp. F51 was the best strain for this purpose. The medium composition, nitrate concentration and light intensity were manipulated to improve the phototrophic growth and lutein production of Desmodesmus sp. F51. It was found that a nitrogen-sufficient condition was required for lutein accumulation, while a high light intensity enhanced cell growth but caused a decrease in the lutein content. The best cell growth and lutein production occurred when the light intensity and initial nitrate concentration were 600 mu mol/m(2)/s and 8.8 mM, respectively. The fed-batch cultivation strategy was shown to further improve lutein production. The highest lutein productivity (3.56 +/- 0.10 mg/L/d) and content (5.05 +/- 0.20 mg/g) were obtained when pulse-feeding of 2.2 mM nitrate was employed. This study demonstrated the potential of using Desmodesmus sp. F51 as a lutein producer in practical applications. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.