The effects of phosphate limitation and of the presence of marine bact
eria during phosphate limitation on growth and polysaccharide producti
on in the diatom Cylindrotheca fusiformis grown in batch cultures are
described in this paper. Growth of C. fusiformis was inhibited under l
ow Pi (inorganic phosphate) conditions, corresponding to an increasing
N/P ratio, and higher amounts of polysaccharides were extruded in the
medium, in particular during the stationary phase of growth. The pres
ence of bacteria reduced phytoplankton cell density only when the phos
phate added corresponded to 1/6 of the initial amount. Even when diato
m cell growth was not affected, the presence of bacteria stimulated a
higher polysaccharide production. These results are interpreted in the
light of the fact that nutrient-stressed phytoplankton cells produced
and released a higher amount of polysaccharides and, as bacteria exhi
bited a better utilization of phosphate than algal cells, their presen
ce accentuated the Pi depletion, resulting in a higher polysaccharide
production.