title: Stimulation of steviol glycoside accumulation in Stevia rebaudiana by red LED light.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine whether steviol glycoside accumulation is under phytochrome control. The results indicate that Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni plants grown under short-day conditions showed precocious flowering and stagnation of steviol glycoside accumulation. Long night interruption by red LED light stimulated and sustained the vegetative growth as well as the accumulation of steviol glycosides in the leaves. After 7 weeks of treatment, steviol glycoside content was about two-fold higher in LED-treated plants than in the short-day control group. The effects of red LED light were measured both in a greenhouse and in a phytotron, irrespective of cultivar-specific differences. Therefore, it can be concluded that a mid-night interruption by red LED light during short photoperiods provides an easy and inexpensive method to increase vegetative leaf biomass production with an increased steviol glycoside yield.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Functional Biology, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stijn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ceunen
authors.forename: Stefaan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Werbrouck
authors.forename: Jan M C
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Geuns
mesh_terms: D045786:Diterpenes, Kaurane / Q000378:metabolism*; D006027:Glycosides / Q000378:metabolism; D008027:Light; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D036625:Stevia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D045786:Diterpenes, Kaurane; D006027:Glycosides; C012042:steviol