Effects of Different Plant Density and Cutting Times on Yield of Stevia under the Çukurova Conditions

Abstract

Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) is perennial shrub form plant belonging to Asteraceae. It is indigenous to Paraguay and Brazil. Stevia is a natural sweetening and it has using potential to diets of obesity patients with non-caloric specialty and treatment of diabetes with insulin secretagogue specialty. In this study, the effects of different planting spaces and two cutting times on yields of two-year old Stevia plant were investigated. The highest dry leaf yield (515.96 kg/da) was obtained from blooming stage, cuttings in spring and 30x60 cm planting density.