With an increase in inoculum size, the MK yield was increased and the maximum (12.9 mg/g) was achieved at an inoculum size of 20 % (Table 2). This might be because of the acceleration in fungal growth and increase in the biomass. However, after the certain limit and with further increase in the inoculum size, the competition for the nutrients led to the decreased metabolic activity of the fungi. Hence, at the optimum inoculum size of 20 %, there is a balance between fungal growth and the availability of nutrients that supports the production of MK.