Evaluation of stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni.) Genotypes performance on growth and chlorophyll accumulation

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out in 2018-19 to evaluate the performance of nine stevia genotypes viz., CIM Madhu, CIM Mithi, Kodaikanal Local, Pune Local, Zaheerabad Local, GKVK Stevia-1, Indore Local, Hyderabad Local and Bidar Local for their vegetative growth and chlorophyll content under the Northern Dry Zone of Karnataka. The experiment was laid out in Randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications at the Main Horticultural Research and Extension Centre (MHREC), Bagalkot, Karnataka. The parameters like plant height, number of leaves per plant and chlorophyll reading were recorded at different growth stages. The maximum plant height (46.02 cm), number of branches per plant (57.60), number of leaves per plant (895.43), plant spread in East-West (31.47 cm) North-South (31.23 cm) directions and maximum chlorophyll reading (53.67) at harvest were recorded for the stevia genotype, GKVK Stevia-1.