The effects of irradiance and photoperiod on the growth rate of three freshwater green algae isolated from a eutrophic lakeIn order to optimise algal growth in mass culture systems, the effect of irradiance and photoperiod on the growth rate of three freshwater green algae isolated from an eutrophic lake (Selenastrum minutum, Coelastrum microporum f. astroidea and Cosmarium subprotumidum) were studied in non axenic batch cultures, under non-nutrient limited conditions. Experiments were performed to determine a specific growth rate (µ max) and optimum light (Iopt) over a wide range of light intensities (30 to 456 µmol m 2 s −1 ) at a temperature of 30 • C, using a 15/9 (light/dark) photoperiod cycle. The maximum growth rates and optimum light intensities were 1.55 d −1 and 365 µmol m −2 s −1 for Selenastrum minutum, 1.59 d −1 and 390 µmol m −2 s −1 for Coelastrum microporum f. astroidea 0.88 d −1 and 360 µmol m −2 s −1 for Cosmarium subprotumidum. The photoperiod's effect was determined at 30 • C and an incident light of 300 µmol m −2 s −1 , under various light:dark cycles. The experimental values fitted by models of Belkoura et Dauta (1992) indicate an increase in the growth rate versus day length with a maximum at continuous light (1.84 d −1 for Selenastrum minutum, 1.72 d −1 for Coelastrum microporum f. astroidea, 0.88 d −1 for Cosmarium subprotumidum). However these experiments don't take into account the accumulated light intensities received by each culture (period of incubation: 24 hours). It was, therefore, not possible to independently appraise the real effect of the lengthened irradiance exposure. So more experiments were carried out, where all cultures under different (light/dark) photoperiod cycles at 30 • C received the same cumulated irradiance (8.6 mol m −2 d −1 ). The results showed that the growth rate is not constant but increased with day length with a maximum at continuous light. These results confirm the real effect of photoperiod on the microalgae growth rate.