In vitro Organogenesis of Stevia rebaudiana Bert. with Different Explants and Growth Regulators

Abstract
Objective: To evaluate various explants and growth regulators in order to improve invitro propagation of Stevia rebaudiana through organogenesis.Design/Methodology/Approach: Explants and growth regulators in two differentconcentrations were evaluated. The explants were nodal segment, axillary bud, andapical meristem; while the growth regulators were benzylaminopurine (BAP) at 1.125 mgL -1 and 3.0 mg L -1 , naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) at 1.5 mg L -1 and 3.0 mg L -1 , andCIDEF-4 brassinosteroids (BRs) at 1.0 mg L -1 and 1.5 mg L -1 . In total 18 treatments withseven repetitions. Contamination, oxidation, and survival were recorded duringinduction; while leaf number, regrowth height, and root presence were recorded duringmultiplication.Results: At the induction stage there was a differential response between explantsaccording to their ontogenetic age; during multiplication, the morphological componentsshowed differences between concentrations of growth regulators and explants, withhigher effectiveness when adding BAP to apical meristems.Study Limitations/Implications: Both the origin and the age of explants can inducedifferential growth while interacting with growth regulators. Findings/Conclusions: Apical meristem explants showed better advantages for in vitroreproduction of S. rebaudiana since they present less contamination and higher survivalat the induction stage, even when exhibiting the highest oxidation among explants,which did not influence the decrease in their survival. At the multiplication stage withapical meristem, height, leaf number, and root presence were increased. Values werehigh when interacting with BAP.