<p>The influence of certain nitrogen compounds - components of glucose-peptone medium (GPM) on the accumulation of carotenoids by some strains was investigated by surface cultivating basidiomycetes. The total carotenoid content was set in acetone extracts of mycological material spectrophotometrically and calculated using the Vetshteyn formula.</p> <p>As the nitrogen-containing components used GPM with 9 compounds, such as peptone, DL-valine, L-asparagine, DL-serine, DL-tyrosine, L-proline, L-alanine, urea, NaNO<sub>3</sub>. The effect on the accumulation of specific compounds both in the mycelium and in the culture fluid of carotenoids by culturing certain strains of Basidiomycetes was identified.</p> <p>Adding to standard glucose-peptone medium peptone at 5 g/l causes an increase of carotenoid accumulation by strain <em>L. sulphureus</em> Ls-08, and in a concentration of 4 g/l by strains of <em>F. hepatica </em>Fh-18 and <em>F. fomentarius</em> Ff-1201.</p> <p>In order to increase the accumulation of carotenoids in the mycelium we suggested to make a standard glucose-peptone medium with proline or valine for cultivating of <em>L. sulphureus</em> Ls- 08 strain; alanine for <em>F. fomentarius</em> Ff-1201 strain; proline, asparagine and serine - for strain Fh-18 of <em>F. hepatica</em>. The results can be implemented in further optimization of the composition of the nutrient medium for culturing strains of Basidiomycetes wich producing carotenoids.</p> <p><em>Keywords: nitrogen-containing substances, Basidiomycetes, mycelium</em><em>,</em><em> culture filtrate, carotenoids</em></p>
