Application of five‐state structured models for growth and secondary metabolite production in cultures of Nicotiana tabacum

A new structured model was constructed and applied to batch suspension cultures of Nicotiana tabacum in an airlift bioreactor with a draught tube. This model was developed by modifying the structured model proposed by Bailey and Nicholson^1,2 for cultures of Catharanthus roseus cells. In this model, a plant cell was considered to consist of a vacuole and non‐vacuole. A secondary metabolite was also assumed to be synthesized by viable cells and stored at a constant concentration in the vacuole. Parameters for the model equations were estimated based upon experimental data using numerical optimization techniques. The simulated results using these parameters showed that the present model was superior to the earlier model for describing growth and product synthesis during all culture periods for the tobacco cell cultures.