The effect of applying different water levels in stevia

Abstract

Determination of appropriate irrigation levels is important for water management in agriculture and for ensuring the sustentability of the production systems. The objective of this study was to evaluate different irrigation levels, calculated from multiplier evapotranspiration coefficients, applied to a stevia (Stevia rebaudiana B) crop. A completely randomized design, with 5 treatments and five repetitions by treatments, was conducted under controlled conditions. Each treatment consisted of a water irrigation level estimated using different evapotranspiration multipliers (0,9; 1,0; 1,1; 1,2 and 1,3). In each plant, the number of leaves, fresh and dry weight, dry matter, root length, stem diameter, relative water content in leaves and crop yield were evaluated. No significant differences were observed among these variables . However, there was a trend that the best results were observed when the irrigation level was calculated using the 1,2 coefficient of evapotranspiration. Consequently, that coefficient should used for water irrigation management in this crop in areas where crop coefficients studies are not available

Keywords

• crop coefficients
• water resource
• aromatic crops