Growth and Development of Stevia Cuttings During Propagation with Hormones in Different Months of the Year.

Stevia is an important non-caloric sweetener that has health-beneficial properties. The objective is to evaluate growth, development, and rooting of stevia plants during different seasons of the year using growth hormones. Eight experiments were set up in Ciudad Guzman, Jalisco, Mexico, with three treatments (T): T1, indol-3 butyric acid (IBA) 7.4 mM; T2, alphanaphthylacetamide (ANA) 6.4 mM + IBA 0.3 mM; and T3, control. The variables evaluated were rooted plantlets, plant height, root length, number of leaves, stem diameter, leaf dry weight, stem dry weight, root dry weight, leaf area, shoot biomass, total biomass, as well as development and growth indexes. Four samplings were conducted in each experiment. The results show that the most appropriate months for propagating stevia cuttings are February, March, April, May, and July, when 96% to 99% of the cuttings rooted. The hormones had the best results related to production of root development. The control was outstanding only in variables related to production of shoot biomass and not to root development. It is concluded that stevia can be propagated vegetatively using cuttings treated with IBA 7.4 mM or ANA 6.4 mM + IBA 0.3 mM, preferable in the period from February to July, with the exception of June.