The experimental results revealed that the 2.27-fold lipid yield was enhanced in nitrogen-depleted condition (226 mg/L) when compared to nitrogen rich condition (99.33 mg/L). Since specific growth rate (SGR) is the single most criteria to decide the biomass yield of microalgae, SGR was analyzed. SGR of 0.33 day(-1) was observed with 0.47 doubling per day under nitrogen rich condition. However, low growth rate of 0.14 day(-1) with a doubling of 0.20 per day was recorded under nitrogen depleted condition. In accordance with SGR, the dry biomass yield was ranged from 0.055 +/- 0.005 to 1.394 +/- 0.010 g/L in the presence of nitrogen, indicating the essentiality of major nutrient in the growth medium. The enhanced lipid accumulation under nitrogen starved condition by Scenedesmus quadricauda was perhaps achieved by adopting adverse environmental condition and possible increment in cell size in terms of length/breadth ratio (1.11). (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.