Steviol Glycoside Content Dynamics during the Growth Cycle of Stevia rebaudiana Bert

The sweetener compounds in Stevia, steviol glycosides (SG), are mainly found in the leaves. The SG content depends on the plant’s growth stage and is usually highest just before flowering. In temperate areas, Stevia is a polyannual crop (5 - 7 years) with a vegetative period lasting from April-May until October, during which time the crop can be harvested two or three times. This research focuses on the need for knowledge about Stevia’s response to temperate climates in Southern Europe. Two field assays were established from June to October 2013 at two sites in Navarra (Spain). The biomass and content of the two major SG, stevioside (ST) and rebaudioside A (RA), were measured using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) in 66 cloned plants, at different developmental stages. Although the results from the two sites showed different SG leaf content dynamics during the plant growth, the optimum harvest date at both sites coincided with the bud-flowering stage at the beginning of September (around 96 days after planting), when a ST yield of 27 g·m-2 was reached. These results show Stevia’s potential as a commercial crop for stevioside production in northern Spain.