Abstract

JARMA OROZCO, Alfredo; ARAMENDIZ TATIS, Hermes  and  LEGUIZAMO, Alejandro Cleves. Phenotypic stability and plant densities of stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bert.) genotypes in the Caribbean Region of Colombia. Acta Agron. [online]. 2011, vol.60, n.2, pp.165-175. ISSN 0120-2812.

Phenotypic stability studies are important to recommend objectively the planting of genotypes showing appropriate behavior in one or more areas. Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bert.), a species of recent cropping in Colombia, is characterized by the capacity of synthesize highly sweeteners diterpene glycosides with low calorie. However, while defining the environmental conditions for production, leaf /stem ratio in the canopy, and the amount of total glycosides, few studies of adaptation have been made in the country. This study was carried out in Montería-Colombia (8°52' N and 76°48' W) to determine the phenotypic stability of two genotypes of stevia (Morita 1 and Morita 2) and three plant densities (25; 12.5 and 6.25 plants/ m²) during three sowing seasons in the Humid Colombian Caribbean Region. The experimental design consisted of a randomized complete block. The results showed that Morita 2, established in densities of 25 plants/m², recorded the highest levels of stability for the dry leaf yield per hectare (P_ig =0; P_id =0). On the other hand, the same genotype showed a higher leaf/stem ratio (1.17±0.3) and higher content of total glycosides (0.1586±0.024) when radiation is higher and plant densities are between 12.5 and 25 plants/m².

Keywords : Biomass yield; genotype-environment interaction; glycosides; leaf/stem ratio; plant density.

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