Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni belongs to Asteraceae family is perennial herb native to Paraguay and Southern Brazil. The leaves of the plant contain glycosides, which have chemical and pharmacological characteristics suitable for use in human diet as a natural sweetener. The stevioside is 300 times sweeter than cane sugar, good in taste and chemically stable. It is being cultivated in Japan, Taiwan, Philippines, Hawaii, Malaysia and South America for addition in food and pharmaceuticals. Derivatives from this plant can be added to tea, coffee, cooked or baked and processed foods, beverages, fruit juices, tobacco products, candies and chewing gum.  Having a low calorific the glycosides hold a great potential for  enhancing the palatability of diabetic and slimming diets.

Tissue culture of Stevia

Stevia is either propagated by seed or by cutting.  Seeds of Stevia show a very low germination percentage [7-10%] and vegetative propagation is affected due to limited availability of mother plants. Production of superior grade plants through Micro propagation on a mass scale in a short span holds great potential for this economically important plant.