Haematococcus　pluvialis　has　been　used　for　commercial　production　of　natural　astaxanthin,　yet　the　production　cost　is　quite　high　due　to　the　relatively　low　production　efficiency.　Exploring　highly　efficient　cultivation　strategies　can　be　used　to　enhance　the　economic　feasibility.　In　this　study,　an　efficient　nitrogen　feeding　strategy　accompanied　with　high　light　induction　was　explored　to　enhance　the　biomass　concentration　and　astaxanthin　content　in　H.　pluvialis　QLD.　The　results　demonstrated　that　1　×　NaNO3　was　the　best　feeding　source　under　high　light　conditions,　and　feeding　two　times　(Fed-batch　II)　obtained　the　best　astaxanthin　productivity.　The　maximum　values　of　astaxanthin　content,　production,　and　productivity　were　65.62　mg/g,　430.29　mg/L,　and　26.77　mg/L/d,　respectively,　under　Fed-batch　II,　surpassing　previous　findings　reported　in　most　studies.　Biochemical　composition　analysis　revealed　alterations　in　the　biosynthesis　of　cellular　metabolites　under　Fed-batch　II,　indicating　the　mitigation　of　stresses　on　microalgal　cells　and　an　enhancement　of　metabolic　flux　towards　astaxanthin　production.　Moreover,　gene　expression　analysis　demonstrated　an　upregulation　of　astaxanthin　biosynthesis　during　the　late　stage　of　Fed-batch　II.　The　findings　elucidate　that　the　proposed　fed-batch　strategy　can　be　employed　for　the　highly　efficient　production　of　natural　astaxanthin　by　H.　pluvialis.　©　2024　Elsevier　B.V.