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Experiments were conducted for the standardization of in vitro culture technique for the mass
propagation of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni., a medicinally important, sweet tasted, an anti-diabetic
herb with zero-calorie value. Mostly all micropropagation methods involve the proliferation of
callusing via MS media. While such media have been moderately too highly successful in terms of
multiplication yields, it has become increasingly important to improve productivity and reduce the
time taken to multiply commercially important material.
In the present study, Shoot tip, nodal segment were used as explants and they were cultured on
different mediums such as Eriksson (ER) medium, White’s medium, Gamborg (B5) medium, Nitsch
medium supplemented with different concentrations of BAP. Among all these mediums best results
were obtained from Eriksson medium supplemented with 3.0 mg/l BAP. Satisfactory results were
obtained in White’s medium containing 1.0 mg/l BAP, In Gamborg (B5) medium good mass
multiplication was found in 3.0mg/l BAP where as in Nitsch medium better growth was observed in
2.0 mg/l BAP.
Key words: Anti diabetic, micropropagation, shoot multiplication sweetener.