GROWTH, YIELD AND NUTRIENT CONTENT OF STEVIA AS INFLUENCED BY DIFFERENT 7 CULTIVATION METHODS

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at the Bangladesh Sugarcane Research Institute (BSRI), Ishurdi, Pabna experimental farm during March 2010 to August 2010 to study the growth, yield and nutrient content of stevia as influenced by different cultivation methods. Significant different was recorded among different cultivation methods. Data were collected on plant height (cm), number of branch plant’, number of leaves plant’, leaf area plant’! (cm), average leaf length (cm), average leaf breadth (cm), perimeter, leaf length and breadth ratio, shape factor, accumulation area (cm), fresh weight plant’ (g), dry weight plant! (g), fresh leaf yield plant! (g), dry leaf yield plant” (g), fresh leaf yield ha’ (kg), dry leaf yield ha’' (kg), N(%), P (%), K (%), S (%), Ca (%), Mg (%), Zn (ug g"') of stevia leaf. Highest plant height was obtained in T, (under mango tree cultivation) treatment (127.93 cm) at 147 DAT. The highest primary and secondary branches at 147 DAT were recorded in T (field cultivation) treatment (12.72) and (31.83), respectively. The number of leaf plant! and leaf area plant! of stevia were significantly influenced by different cultivation methods and highest in T; treatment. The average leaf length and average leaf breadth of stevia leaf ranged from 3.01 cm to 3.29 cm, and 1.32 cm to 1.48 cm, respectively. The highest perimeter, and leaf length and breadth ratio were obtained in T; (field cultivation) treatment (7.46), and (2.24), respectively. The highest fresh and dry weight plant' (165.92 g) and (44.15 g) were obtain from T, (field cultivation) treatment, respectively. The highest fresh and dry weight ha! were recorded in T, (field cultivation) treatment. The highest fresh leaf yield and dry leaf yield were obtain from T; (field cultivation) treatment (91.37 g plant!) and (24.83 2 plant’), respectively. Significantly highest fresh and dry leaf yield were recorded in T; (field cultivation) treatment (4512.12 kg ha'), and (1226.17 kg ha’), respectively. The highest total chlorophyll (1.98 mg g’'), chlorophyll ‘a’ (1.42 mg g”), chlorophyll ‘b’ (0.52 mg g") and protein (10.00%) in T, (field cultivation) treatment. The N content in stevia leaf ranged from 1.71 to 1.6.2%. the highest Phosphorus content was obtained in T (field cultivation) treatment (0.128%) and lowest in T2 (under mango tree cultivation) treatment (0.085%). The K content in stevia leaf ranged from 0.13 to 0.14%. The highest Sulphur content was recorded in T, (field cultivation) treatment (0.25%), followed by T2 (pot cultivation) treatment (0.21%), while the lowest Sulphur content T2 (under mango tree cultivation) treatment (0.14%). The Ca and Mg content in stevia leaf ranged from (1.12 to 1.24%) and (0.102 to 0.104%), respectively. The highest Zn content was recorded in T, (field cultivation) treatment (62.87 wg g'). Thus, the T) (field cultivation) showed the best performance in respect to fresh and dry leaf yield plant’ (g), fresh and dry leaf yield ha" (kg) and nutrient contents. Results indicated that strong possibilities of field cultivation of stevia in Bangladesh.