IJSRP, Volume 6, Issue 4, April 2016 Edition [ISSN 2250-3153]
Dr. Eric Randy R. Politud, Ph.D
Abstract:
Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bert.) is a fast rising horticultural herb with many therapeutic and economic benefits. The study was conducted at the Nursery House of the City Agriculture Office, Casisang, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, Philippines from November 2015 to January 2016 to evaluate the herbage yield of Stevia shoot tip cuttings in response to various growing media. The study was laid-out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five treatments and replicated three times with twenty sample plants per replication. The different treatments are: T1 – pure garden soil, T2 – ½ garden soil + ½ vermicast, T3 – pure vermicast, T4 – ½ sand + ½ vermicast, and T5 – 1/3 garden soil + 1/3 sand + 1/3 vermicast. Results showed that Stevia shoot tip cuttings in T5 (1/3 garden soil + 1/3 sand + 1/3 vermicast) grown in polyethylene pots consistently had the tallest plants 48.64 cm); highest survival rates (100%); least incidence of leaf curling (1.33 rating) and leaf dark spot (1.33); most number of leaves (226.41) and branches (21.13); and highest percentage of expanded leaves (69%). It also obtained significantly the heaviest fresh and oven-dried herbage, leaf and stem weights. It also attained the highest herbage yield and oven-dried leaf yield in hectare basis with 3,903.50 kg and 355.01 kg, respectively, thus, obtaining the highest gross sale of US $37,767.44 per hectare and a net income of US $ 25,980.21 with an ROI of 220.41%.