A Stevia extract made from leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant is described. The extract has desired levels of steviol glycosides and is useful in food, beverage, and other consumable products.

The present invention relates to a method for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and regeneration of Stevia plants. In particular, the method involves co-culturing leaf explants with Agrobacterium in a medium comprising acetosyringone and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in the dark, callus induction and shoot regeneration in a medium comprising 6-benzylaminopurine, 3-indoleacetic acid, a selective agent and an Agrobacterium eradicant in the dark, and root regeneration in a medium comprising 3-in-doleacetic acid in a light/dark cycle. The present invention also relates to the overexpression of SrDXS I and SrKAH in transgenic plants, resulting in the enhancement of steviol glycosides in the transgenic plants. The present invention further relates to the overexpression SrUGT76G I in transgenic plants, resulting in higher Rebaudioside A (Reb A) to stevioside ratios in the transgenic plants.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a Stevia plant having a high content of rebaudioside C. The present invention provides a high rebaudioside C-content type, non genetically modified Stevia plant that has a higher content of rebaudioside C than wild-type Stevia varieties, more specifically at least 20% higher content. The present invention further provides: a method for producing such a high rebaudioside C-content type, non genetically modified Stevia plant; and dried leaves obtained from such a plant.

Stevia varieties with a high content of RebM, are disclosed Further provided are methods for producing Stevia plants having a high RebM content by negatively regulating certain genes selecting the resulting plants, and breeding with such plants to confer such desirable Reb M phenotypes to plant progeny.

The present invention provides a high broussonetine-content stevia plant comprising broussonetine at higher content as compared with the wild type stevia species. The present invention also provides a method of producing such a high broussonetine-content stevia plant, and a dried leaf and an extract obtainable from such a plant.

The present invention provides a high rebaudioside D-content stevia plant comprising rebaudioside D at higher content as compared with the wild type stevia species. The present invention also provides a method of producing such a high rebaudioside D-content stevia plant, and a dried leaf and an extract obtainable from such a plant.

A stevia cultivar, designated ‘16228013’, is disclosed. Further embodiments relate to the plant parts of stevia cultivar ‘16228013’, to the plants of stevia ‘16228013’ and to methods for producing a stevia plant produced by crossing the cultivar ‘16228013’ with itself or another stevia variety, including methods using marker assisted breeding. Further embodiments relate to hybrid stevia seeds and plants produced by crossing the cultivar ‘16228013’ with another stevia cultivar. Six highly polymorphic SNPs loci and the corresponding genomic sequences used to identify plant variety ‘16228013’ derived plant materials are also disclosed.

The present invention provides a low tyramine-content Stevia plant having a lower tyramine content as compared with the wild type Stevia species. The present invention also provides a method of producing such a low tyramine-content Stevia plant, and an extract and a steviol glycoside purified product obtainable from such a plant.

The present invention provides a high sweet content stevia plant having a variation at a portion corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 1, a method of producing or screening for the same, etc.

An aneuploid Stevia cultivar from colchicine-induced polyploidy, designated ‘AP-1’. The plant parts of Stevia cultivar ‘AP-1’, the plants of stevia ‘AP-1’ and methods for producing a Stevia plant produced by crossing the cultivar ‘AP-1’ with itself or another Stevia variety, including methods using colchicine treatments for producing an aneuploidy Stevia plant. The disclosure further relates to hybrid Stevia seeds and plants produced by crossing the cultivar ‘AP-1’ with another Stevia cultivar. Ten highly polymorphic SNPs and the corresponding genomic sequences used to identify ‘AP-1’.