The　type　and　concentration　of　inorganic　carbon　and　nitrogen　sources　were　manipulated　to　improve　cell　growth　and　lutein　productivity　of　Desmodesmus　sp.　F51.　Using　nitrate　as　nitrogen　source,　the　better　cell　growth　and　lutein　accumulation　were　obtained　under　2.5%　CO2　supply　when　compared　to　the　addition　of　NaHCO3　or　Na2CO3.　To　solve　the　pH　variation　problem　of　ammonium　consumption,　the　strategy　of　using　dual　carbon　sources　(NaHCO3　and　CO2)　was　explored.　A　lower　bicarbonate-C:　ammonium-N　ratio　led　to　a　lower　culture　pH　as　well　as　lower　lutein　productivity,　but　significantly　enhanced　the　auto-flocculation　efficiency　of　the　microalgal　cells.　The　highest　biomass　productivity　(939　mg/L/d)　and　lutein　productivity　(5.22　mg/L/d)　were　obtained　when　the　bicarbonate-C/ammonium-N　ratio　and　ammonium-N　concentration　were　1:1　and　150　mg/L,　respectively.　The　lutein　productivity　of　5.22　mg/L/d　is　the　highest　value　ever　reported　in　the　literature　using　batch　phototrophic　cultivation.　©　2017