Tissue culture of stevia sp.

Abstract

Stevia had been used as an alternative for sweetener. World demand for stevia is increasing dramatically; however, low vegetative propagation and seed limited the source of plant materials to meet high demand. Tissue culture technique was show as a promising tool to overcome this problem. Current study report the shoot tips proliferation and growth of Stevia rebaudiana grown in tissue cultures. Complete random design (CRD) applied to induced shoot tips, leaf, nodal segment and leaf length proliferation in MS medium with various combinations of IBA and cytokinins such as Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), or indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) with 6- Benzylaminopurine (BAP), Zeatin (ZEA) and Thidiazuron (TDZ) under concentration 0, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/1. Treatment with 1.0 mg/1 TDZ demonstrated the highest number of shoot tips (3 to 4 shoot tips per explants) compared with other treatments. This medium also produces higher number of leaf and nodal segment, and plant length. The use of tissue culture technique with appropriate concentration of plant growth regulator such as TDZ should produce sufficient stevia plant to meet the market demand. Production of phenolics content in the explant do not correlated with the effect of phytohormone to the growth. There were similar pattern of secondary metabolite within treatment shown by Flavonoid/Phenolic and Flavone/Phenolic Ratio.