Sucrose-dependent production of biomass and low-caloric steviol glycosides in adventitious root cultures of Stevia rebaudiana (Bert.)

The market demand for steviol glycosides (SGs) is gradually increasing worldwide due to their low-caloric nature. SGs are commonly added as a sweetener to various food items and are particularly useful for obese and diabetic patients. Production of SGs is predominantly obtained from the plant Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana). Propagation of Stevia plants for SGs production is limited due to short-term viability of seeds and high labor demands for shoot multiplication. Adventitious root cultures (ARC) offer an alternative production system to whole plants for extraction of SGs. The overall objective of this study was to enhance the production of SGs in SRC of Stevia by differential sucrose feeding (05-50 g l- 1). A high concentration of sucrose (50 g l- 1) boosted biomass accumulation while a low concentration (10 g l- 1) enhanced biosynthesis of major SGs (stevioside and rebaudiosideA). A strongly positive correlation was found between biomass accumulation and phenolics and flavonoids production respectively. Furthermore, 20 g l- 1 to 40 g l- 1 sucrose stimulated dulcoside-A, phenolics, flavonoids and antioxidant activity. The results suggest that adventitious root cultures can be a viable option for large-scale production of SGs for industrial applications.

Automated summary

The study showed that differential sucrose feeding significantly affects the production and accumulation of SGs in Stevia SRC, with biomass accumulation and biosynthesis of major SGs being influenced by sucrose concentration. Adventitious root cultures could be a viable option for large-scale production of SGs, with the potential for enhancing biosynthesis of major SGs through sucrose regulation.