Stevia cultivation and use in agriculture
Stevia rebaudiana stevia sweetener rebaudioside diabetes steviosides
Updated : 20/02/2008
Paraguay is the birthplace of Stevia rebaudiana . Only by 1955, the Japanese began to make crops of the same and, around 1970 , began to be cultivated in southern Japan and its neighboring countries. Today stevia is intensively cultivated in Paraguay, Brazil, Colombia, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea and China, among others. In this report we collect information to the self-cultivation of stevia and the main agricultural applications of stevia extracts.
In 2008 in Japan accidentally discovered a method to exploit the stubble of stevia to increase agricultural production. The method of using stevia in agriculture is applied to the soil, or directly to crops by foliar or irrigation, or extract of stevia powder obtained. For example, the aerial spraying of fruit extract is achieved etevia stimulate photosynthesis process and raise the level of sugars in the crop quality. Furthermore, applying the stevia extract in the soil of the crop is achieved to reduce pathogens and increasing antagonists and , thus, improving soil fertility. With the application of this extract of stevia also be accelerated crop cycle , increasing the degree brix and increased shelf life of fruits and vegetables , etc. .
In addition, other reports from Japan indicate that stevia helps to break down the pesticide applied to crops. In Japan, several municipalities are trying to characterize their horticultural products for use stevia cultivation through movement " One Village One Product " and , with this, aim to achieve economic revitalization of the municipality .
Agricultural crop looks stevia.
The self-cultivation of Stevia rebaudiana
As a plant, Stevia is easy to grow either in a garden or in pots . We only need to ensure that the plant has a good sunshine, heat and humidity. Stevia, being a plant from a subtropical region, has a different behavior in Mediterranean climates because the shorter days of sunlight in fall and winter shorten your cycle causing a stop to the plant growth very important. This would not apply to the Canary Islands, where the climate is more similar to their tropical origins. For this reason, and because it is a perennial, (can regrow 4-5 years), each spring flying high again, with new shoots coming up from the roots. From the spring and almost to mid-August can go playing by cuttings (as we do with geraniums).
From Stevia plant spring regrowth can reach 200-500 reproduce new plants using this system , that is , taking cuttings for as long as Vegeta . Just be careful not to plant a flower bud to end, because they would never take root. Typically, spring and summer regrowth usually have rarely flowers. Moreover, even flourish in our climate Stevia does not generate power to germinate seeds. Hence the effective reproduction is by cuttings, not by seed. So, if we have a good variety always retain their medicinal properties.
Stevia can be grown as a perennial,
Step by step to cultivate Stevia
In our garden, terrace or on our balcony; we can successfully plant stevia following the method of Josep Pàmies. To ensure that an outbreak of Stevia rootless root well , please follow the following steps:
1 - Fill a pot with peat or topsoil fertilized with worm castings and water until thoroughly soaked.
2 - Cut Stevia an outbreak of about 20 cm to 10 cm high end (making sure it does not end up in flower). These 10 cm stem, leaves 2-3 pull the bottom in order that the stem can sink peat. Then press the soil with your fingers around the stem so that contact with moist peat is complete. Among that is cut and plant regrowth time must be minimal. Best cut and planted immediately or keep in water like cut flowers.
3 - Place the pot in a shady place and keep the sun prevents rooting. The will water 3 times a day (early, at noon and at sunset).
Note: When placing the plant noted recently planted in a shady spot, which means that to directly touch at any time no sunlight. If outdoors rather than in a greenhouse, choose a place where it is protected from drafts to prevent excessive dehydration. A shady spot is not inside a room or a darkened room.
4 - After 25-30 days the outbreak of Stevia begin to straighten and, when it is observed that a new leaf begins to emerge, and can be transferred to an area with more sun, where and will not stop growing. When the transplanted bud begins to release the first new leaf, stop watering 3 times a day and water only once a day early. During the summer it is necessary to water every day. The time to water is always when we notice that the land ceases to be moistened. During the winter there is to water enough, it could cause root rot.
5 - In the two months after the outbreak tolled or transplanted without roots in the pot small, the second time to transplant it final place , which can be directly outdoor garden soil , garden or greenhouse or in inside a greenhouse, in a space where you have enough land to facilitate maximum plant growth . In a greenhouse production is achieved forward a few weeks in spring and delay the decline of the plant in autumn. If stevia growing in a greenhouse, the hottest months during the summer you can shade something to avoid intense heat and simulate tropical climate where stevia is native. Nevertheless, outdoor fairly well developed.
6 - When we arrived in the late fall and noticed that the plant has no more desire to grow and you want to fill with flowers, it's time to cut the ground leaving her with a height of 10 cm and take us to get to dry leaves.
Dry leaves extract stevia with which applications can be prepared for agriculture. (Source: Wikimedia Commons).
7 - To dry the leaves during the summer properly we must ensure that they do not directly touch the sun, in order to preserve all the medicinal properties. The leaves last minute, when we plant for winter, it is inevitable dry in the sun or, if small amounts can also be inside the house, where there is a better temperature.
8 - The subscriber of Stevia : although an undemanding plant with organic fertilizer there is no problem in going over dose, but if mineral or chemical fertilizer must take care not to apply too much as they provoke the collapse of the plant . The mineral or chemical fertilizer , after more than two months of transplantation , just place it in small quantities and should contain more potassium than phosphorus and nitrogen and being enriched with microelements . With a good organic fertilizer is enough to once a year, for example, at the beginning of spring. If we have it in a pot, we add 20-30% of the volume of peat containing the same.
9 - The Stevia is a plant resistant to insects and fungi, if not abuse of irrigation and chemical fertilizers marinated. In case you notice any aphid or whitefly, we recommend treatment with extracts of garlic, Neem oils or other products authorized by the Organic Farming. If we observe any needless caterpillar deal with anything. If the caterpillars attack was massive, then we can treat it with preparations of Bacillus thuringiensis (an insecticide -term ecological security does not require to consume the leaves). With these treatments will ensure a pickup without toxins and leaves all the medicinal properties will ensure that the plant contains.
Agricultural applications with stevia
Agricultural production using Stevia is the use of an extract of leaves and stems of ka'a he'e (name eebaudiana Stevia Guarani (Bertoni)) diluted by foliar or irrigation. The purpose of the aerial spraying of a crop is agricultural stimulate photosynthetic process; improve the organoleptic properties, etc. . . .
Example 1: Foliar application to the melon plants can, for example , raising the concentration of sugars in 1 to 2 degrees brix ( arriving at 16 ° or 17 ° brix) , and thereby , improve the flavor of the fruit . Applying the extract in the irrigation water is enriched population of beneficial microorganisms (antagonists) of the soil. In addition, land application of finely powdered stem is able to recover a soil contaminated with chemical fertilizers, transforming it into fertile soil. Also observed that applying stevia extract in horticultural crops, there is greater resistance to plant diseases.
Example 2: Application of the Stevia extract significantly improved tomato crop bacterioses handling , due to the three natural antibiotics that possess the plant.
Among the beneficial properties obtained from the agricultural soil treatment Stevia extracts are cited :
- Revitalize the beneficial soil microorganisms and can restore fertility .
- Improved plant rooting stimulating root growth.
- Purifies contaminated soil by agrochemicals and other chemicals.
- Increases the resistance of plants against pests and diseases.
- Improving the health of the crop and thus increases performance.
- Helps to prevent fruit drop .
- Prevents excessive exhaustion and aging fruiting plant .
- Increased sugar content of the product and improve the taste ( for example, in the case of pear, while conventionally grown pears have 12.9 brix sugar , pear tratatada Stevia contains 14.5 degree ) .
- Increases in vitamins , minerals and other nutrients from the vegetables.
- By its antioxidant action significantly improves the durability of horticultural products ( for example, cutting the pear fruit of normal, this will quickly oxidize by the reaction occurring between the oxygen of the air and the polyphenol content in the pear however, in the case of pear grown Stevia extracts , it hardly changes color as he'e ka'a components inhibit the oxidation process ) .
Thus, the use of stevia in agriculture enhances the force that has the ecological system , allowing the realization of farming that protects the environment , why is gaining attention as a method of cultivation to consider. He'e ka'a contains vitamins A, B2 , B6, carotene, amino acids, carbohydrates , enzymes , organic acids , polysaccharides, plant hormones, glycosides , and stimulates the photosynthetic bacteria , gram negative bacteria , etc . It is considered that these elements are added to the carbohydrates , organic acids , amino acids and oxygen , stimulating the activation and proliferation of beneficial microorganisms in the soil , which influences the creation of environmental conditions that facilitate the absorption of nutrients through the root .
Examples of how the fruits obtained from cultures treated with extracts of Stevia look better ( some strawberries as an example ) and as the roots of plants ( a clump of rice) have more surface area , allowing better nutrition to the plant. ( Images Shintaro Kimura . JBB Stevia LABORATORY / B & L Corporation).
Recipes for Stevia extracts for agriculture
Currently, there are several companies that are producing and marketing agricultural preparations Stevia in Japan . The manufacturing method varies by company and many of which are patented. However, for resource-poor farmers suggests some home methods :
Stevia Extract / Bio_Ka'a he'e ALFA
Consists of mixing 75% ( 7, 5 kg) of leaves and 25 % (2.5 kg) of Stevia stems and branches of boiled with 11 liters of water for 10 minutes. This concentrated liquid is filtered so that it can ferment and aged for about six months in a plastic container to have the finished product. The ALFA he'e Bio_Ka'a is preferably used for foliar treatments in the first phenological stages of horticultural crops .
Stevia Extract / Bio_Ka'a he'e BETA
Consists of mixing 50% (5 kg) of leaves and 50% (5 kg) of Stevia stems and branches of boiled with 11 liters of raw water for 10 minutes. This concentrated liquid is filtered so that it can ferment and aged for about six months in a plastic container to have the finished product. Bio_Ka'a he'e the BETA is used in two ways. First, via drip or spray ( depending on the crop ) for the treatment of pre and post transplant floor of moulting and throughout the crop cycle . Second, by the leaves from the onset of fruiting to harvesting.
Extract he'e Ortika'a
Consists of mixing 33 % (5 kg) of leaves, 34 % (5 kg) of stems and branches of ka'a he'e and 33 % (5 kg) of leaves, branches and stems of nettle (50% and 50 sheets % branches and stems ) and boiled in 16 liters of natural water for 10 minutes. This concentrated liquid is filtered so that it can ferment and aged for about six months in a plastic container . The Ortika'a he'e is preferably used in the production of leafy vegetables .
Extract he'e Albaka'a
Consists of mixing 45% ( 4.5 kg) of leaves, 45% ( 4.5 kg) of stems and branches of ka'a he'e and 10% (1 kg) basil leaves and branches (50% leaf and branches 50% ) was boiled with 11 liters of raw water, for 10 minutes. This concentrated liquid is filtered to ferment and aged for about six months in a plastic container . The Albaka'a he'e is preferably used in the production of tomatoes long cycle in order to improve the taste of it, from the beginning of the fruition until fully ripe . The fermented for six months should be stored in a dark place and do not expose to sunlight . Chemical fertilizers rich in nitrogen is converted to nitrate in the soil and are then absorbed by plants that make amino acids, proteins , nucleic acids, etc. . However, a high concentration of nitrates in vegetable can cause cyanosis, atopic dermatitis , and even cancer .
Using Stevia extracts horticultural crops (leaf and fruit) gets lower nitrate content obtaining high quality products while more durable after harvest .
http://www.terra.org/categorias/articulos/el-cultivo-de-la-estevia-y-su-uso-en-la-agricultura
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Topic: Stevia - Fertilizer document (translated from spanish) (Read 16515 times)