The production of 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BD) by Serratia marcescens H30 from sucrose was studied. Medium composition for 2,3-BD production by S. marcescens H30 was optimized in shake flask fermentations using Plackett-Burman design (PB) and response surface methodology (RSM). Results indicated that yeast extract and sodium acetate had significant effects on the 2,3-BD production. And their optimal concentrations were determined by RSM. The optimal medium was used to perform fermentation experiments by S. marcescens H30 in a 3.71 bioreactor. Several feeding strategies including interim feeding, exponential feeding and constant residual sucrose concentration feeding were compared for improving 2,3-BD production. Ultimately, a suitable control strategy which combined the respiratory quotient (RQ) control with the constant residual sucrose concentration fed-batch was developed. Using this strategy, the maximum 2,3-BD concentration of 139.92 g/l with the diol (AC + BD) productivity of 3.49 g/l h and the yield of 94.67% was obtained. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.