Amonium Nitrat dan Kalsium Klorida Berpengaruh Terhadap Keragaan Planlet Stevia rebaudiana

Abstract

Stevia is used as an alternative natural sweetener that contains glycosides, with the level of sweetness 300 times higher than that of cane sugar. It presents no calorie, very low glycemic index, and is safe to be consumed. Propagation of stevia can be done through tissue culture technique. One of the problems in tissue culture of stevia is the low plantlet vigor. This research aimed to increase stevia plantlet vigor by modifying concentration of ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) and calcium chloride (CaCl2) on ½ WP medium. The results show that NH4NO3 and CaCl2 concentrations affected the growth and the performance of stevia plantlets. Normal concentration of NH4NO3 and twice concentration of CaCl2 show best combination to improve the plantlet vigor of stevia