Don Theon C. Cruz, Donn Alben T. Villanueva (March 2011)
Philippine Science High School Western Visayas Campus – Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PSHS WVC), Brgy. Bito-on, Jaro, Iloilo City 5000, Philippines
ABSTRACT
Stevia rebaudianna Bertoni is an herb that contains stevioside, a sweetener much healthier than sugar. Though now popularly produced, it has problems when cultivating because when it flowers, its stevioside content and size of leaves decreases which renders it less sweet and less marketable that its suppoosed to be. This study determined the physical characteristics of different mesh-sized covered stevia plants. The plants were subjected to different percent shading using mesh sizes (-3/8 in, 3/16 in) and control or no mesh net. Height, number of flowers, and dry weught were measured for the plants in the different treatments. Based on the 40% shading (3/8 in mesh) got the best physical characteristics. It was concluded that 40% shading (3/8 in mesh) was the most ideal net for the growth of the plant. Farmers could now know that 40% shading would be best for growing stevia plats that wouls not flower much.