Strategies to enhance the production of photosynthetic pigments and lipids in chlorophycae species

• Microalgae are source of valuable compounds as lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, pigments among others.
• Culture stress conditions increase biomass and high values compounds in microalgae.
• Nitrogen and salt stress increase lipids in microalgae.
• Two stages culture and electromagnetic fields enhancing microalgae biomass and pigments content.

Microalgae are a major natural source for a vast array of valuable compounds as lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, pigments among others. Despite many applications, only a few species of microalgae are cultured commercially because of poorly developed of cultivation process. Nowadays some strategies of culture have been used for enhancing biomass and value compounds yield. The most strategies applied to microalgae are classified into two groups: nutrimental and physical. The nutrimental are considered as change in media composition as nitrogen and phosphorous limitation and changes in carbon source, while physical are described as manipulation in operational conditions and external factors such as application of high-light intensities, medium salinity and electromagnetic fields. The exposition to electromagnetic field is a promising technique that can improve the pigments and biomass yield in microalgae culture. Therefore, is important to describe the advantages and applications of the overall process. The aim of this review was to describe the main culture strategies used to improve the photosynthetic and lipids content in chlorophyceae species.