Phytochemical and Morpho-physiological Responses of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni to Different Planting Beds and Mycorrhizal Fungi inoculation (Glomus intraradices N.C. Schenck & G.S. Sm.)

The composition of the planting beds and its microorganisms has a very important role on the establishment, growth and phytochemical performance of medicinal plants. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different planting beds and inoculation of mycorrhizal fungus on the changes of stevioside, rebaudioside, and morpho-physiological traits of stevia. This study was conducted in a factorial experiment based on randomized complete blocks design (RCBD) with 10 treatments and 4 replications. The first factor consisted of inoculum and non-inoculum treatment of Glomus intraradices, and the second factor was the different combination of peat moss, coco peat, perlite and soil as planting beds. Mycorrhizal fungi inoculation significantly increased the plant height, number of lateral branches, stem and root diameter, number of leaves, leaf fresh/dry weight, shoot dry weight, root dry weight, and content of stevioside, rebaudioside A and C. Also, different combination of planting beds had a significant effect on the plant height, stem dry/fresh weight, leaf fresh weight, root dry/fresh weight, and content of stevioside, rebaudioside A and C. The results of this study showed that the combination of peat moss + coco peat + soil (2:1:1) with mycorrhizal fungi inoculation among the treatments had the highest positive effect on leaf dry weight and glycoside carbohydrates in stevia plants.