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Growing Stevia Plants in Household Condition and Their Evaluation on the Basis of Phenotypic Attributes

M.Y. Prodhan
Department of Biochemistry, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202

B.L.D. Chowdhury
Department of Biochemistry, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202

A. Siddiqua
Department of Biochemistry, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202

M.J.H. Bhuiyan
Department of Biochemistry, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Experiment was carried out to explore the best-suit growing condition of stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) in household condition during the period from January to December, 2007 in the laboratory of the Department of Biochemistry, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. Plants were grown in six different conditions as T₁-(Hoagland solution, indoor, 15h day length); T₂-(Hoagland solution, indoor, 12h day length); T₃- (Hoagland solution, on roof, 12h day length); T₄-(Pond water, indoor, 12h day length); T₅-(Soil, on roof, 12h day length); T₆-(Soil, in corridor, 12h day length). Light intensities were measured and found to vary from 25000 to 38000 lux in T₁, T₂, T₄; 47000 to 56000 lux in T₃, T₅ and 12000 to 23000 lux in T₆. Deflowering was performed at 15 days interval and matured leaves were collected prior to commencement of flowering. After final harvesting the phenotypic attributes such as biomass content, leaf-stem ratio and leaf area were ascertained and used to evaluate the growing conditions. All these parameters were significantly influenced by the different cultural conditions. Plants growing in Hoagland solution under 15h light regime showed the best performance in terms of leaf-stem ratio and leaf area. Short day length and higher light intensity enhanced the frequency of deflowering. The plants survived when grown in pond water under 12h light regime in a critically deficient nutrient condition. Considering the phenotypic attributes such as flowering incidence, leaf-stem ratio and leaf area, plants grown in Hoagland solution having 15 hours day length of moderate light intensity seemed to be the best suited for the production of stevia plants in house-hold condition.

Keywords: Phenotypic attribute, Stevioside, Hydroponic culture

Location: Department of Biochemistry, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh

Start Date: 00-01-2007

End Date: 00-12-2007

Program Area: Development of Host and Medicinal Plants

Commodity: Tree

Objectives:

1. To explore suitable growing condition to grow this plant in house-hold condition with sustained production which may ensure their availability as and when necessary especially to diabetic subjects.

Methodology:

The experiment was conducted in the laboratory of the Department of Biochemistry, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, during the period from January to July, 2008. Thirty days old stevia seedlings were collected from the nursery of Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC), Gazipur, Bangladesh. Plant culture: Total twenty four plants were cultured in the whole study. The plants were grown in hydroponic solution as well as in pot soil. Sixteen plants were cultured hydroponically in pot, among them twelve plants were cultured in Hoagland nutrient solution and four plants were grown in normal pond water. Eight plants were grown in soil medium in pot. The plants were grown for a period of 140 days commencing from 20 February, 2007 to 10 July, 2007. Selection and preparation of pot: Cylindrical shape plastic pots of 16 cm height and 9.5 cm in diameter were selected for the experiment. The internal volume of each pot was about 1.1 liter. The cap of each pot contained two circular openings of around 1cm each in diameter one at the centre and another near periphery. Placement of seedlings i) In Hoagland solution: Rooting media of twelve healthy and uniform stevia seedlings were washed out slowly by tap water. One liter Hoagland solution was taken in each pot. One seedling was planted in each pot at the central hole and the second hole was left for adding nutrient solution or distilled water. Seedling was fixed properly in the hole with the help of a small piece of foam. The second hole was also covered with foam to protect evaporation. Constant volume of the nutrient solution was maintained by adding required amount of distilled water in every week to keep the nutrient concentration almost unchanged. By keeping 100mL of old (taken first time) nutrient solution, the remaining whole (900mL) nutrient solution of each pot was changed in every one month. ii) In pond water: Following the same procedure as that of hydroponic culture in Hoagland solution, four plants were subjected to grow in pond water. iii) In soil: Soil collected from Bangladesh Agricultural University campus of agro-ecological zone-9 under the Old Brahmaputra Floodplain was sun dried and ground properly. The nutrient status of the soil was enriched by mixing cowdung at the rate of 7.5 kg per 100 kg of soil. Medium size pots (0.049 m²) were used for planting. Each pot was filled with 7kg of soil. Rooting media of the seedlings were removed by gentle jerking and planted one plant in each pot. Required amount of water was added in each pot as and when necessary. Artificial lightening: In case of treatment T₁, three hours artificial lightening was added with the normal day time to make total fifteen hours day length. For artificial lightening, three fluorescence tube lights of total light intensity 6000 lux were hanged on four inches above from the top of the plants. Illumination of tube lights was controlled by an automatic timer (theben timer 026). Measurement of light intensity: Light intensity was measured at noon (1pm) once in every five days by a Lux-meter (testo-0500, Germany) and was recorded properly commencing from 01 March to 30 June, 2008. Deflowering: Flowering of the plants was monitored carefully, deflowered manually at fifteen days interval and recorded properly. Harvesting and drying: Matured lower leaves of plant were harvested prior to flowering when stevioside content in leaves was maximum. The weights of the leaves were recoded properly. Final harvesting was done on 10 July, 2008. Leaves were dried in an oven at 45-50^o Celsius and preserved in air-tight condition. Determination of biomass: Initial weight of the whole plant was taken individually before planting in growing medium. All the leaves and stems of individual plant collected from plantation to final harvesting were weighed freshly and recorded properly. The addition of all the values along with the root gave the accumulated weight. Accumulated weight minus initial weight gave the value of biomass increment of the individual plant during the experimental period. Measurement of leaf-stem ratio: Fresh weights of all the leaves and stems of an individual plant produced during the whole life span were taken separately. From these two values leaf-stem ratio was calculated. Determination of leaf area: Leaf area was determined from the length and breath measurements of leaf.

Source of Information: J. Agrofor. Environ. 3 (2): 231-234, 2010; ISSN 1995-6983

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The phenotypic attributes considered to evaluate the effects of cultural conditions were biomass content, leaf-stem ratio and leaf area. All these parameters were significantly influenced by the different cultural conditions. The maximum amount of biomass was observed in the treatment (Pot culture in soil medium) T₅(24.20 g) followed by the treatment (Hoagland solution) T₂ (22.66 g) and treatment (Hydroponic culture (HC) in Hoagland solution) T₁ (20.02g). The lowest biomass was noticed in the treatment (HC in pond water) T₄ (15.15 g). The highest leaf-stem ratio occurred in treatment T1 (2.644) and was significantly different from the rest. Treatment (Soil, in corridor) T₆ resulted the lowest leaf-stem ratio (1.232). The highest leaf area was noticed in treatment T₁ (4.34 cm²) and was significantly different from those of the rest. Plants growing in treatment T₆produced the lowest leaf area (2.04 cm²).

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