In order to increase the cell concentration and the accumulation of astaxanthin, the effects of nutrient concentration, pH, illumination and methods of supplying nutrients were studied for the cultivation of Haematococcuspluvialis. The replacement of media to avoid the deficiency of nutrients increased the cell concentration above 1 mg-dry cell cm(-1) without induction of astaxanthin accumulation. Illumination with blue light emitting diode lamps and nutrient starvation induced accumulation of astaxanthin, and the interactive effects of these two increased the astaxanthin concentration to 76 mug cm(-3).