biostudies-literatureUnknown16(12)Rahman MROptimising continuous phototrophic cultivation remains a major challenge for scalable, energy-efficient cyanobacterial bioprocesses. Here, we combine controlled photophysiology, long-term continuous experimentation, multi-parameter analysis, and batch-derived Monod kinetic modelling to define a precise operational window for <i>Synechocystis</i> sp. PCC 6803 under flat-plate photobioreactor (FP-PBR) illumination. Using a fully calibrated FP-PBR platform, we first quantified intrinsic growth limits (<i>µ</i> _max = 0.081-0.118 day^-1) across low, moderate, and high irradiance regimes, establishing the illumination-driven growth ceilings that constrain downstream continuous operation. Guided by these kinetic boundaries, continuous cultivation demonstrated that productive RSC advances11036-11048https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12933868biostudies-literaturePhotonic-chemostat engineering for efficient continuous cultivation of cyanobacteria.PMC12933868Hellgardt KRahman MRNoori MTfalsePhotonic-chemostat engineering for efficient continuous cultivation of cyanobacteria.Optimising continuous phototrophic cultivation remains a major challenge for scalable, energy-efficient cyanobacterial bioprocesses. Here, we combine controlled photophysiology, long-term continuous experimentation, multi-parameter analysis, and batch-derived Monod kinetic modelling to define a precise operational window for <i>Synechocystis</i> sp. PCC 6803 under flat-plate photobioreactor (FP-PBR) illumination. Using a fully calibrated FP-PBR platform, we first quantified intrinsic growth limits (<i>µ</i> _max = 0.081-0.118 day^-1) across low, moderate, and high irradiance regimes, establishing the illumination-driven growth ceilings that constrain downstream continuous operation. Guided by these kinetic boundaries, continuous cultivation demonstrated that productive 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z2026 Feb2026-07-16T22:29:29.627Z2026-07-11T03:12:16.818ZS-EPMC129338684175730710.1039/d5ra09945e