A method of screening for a stevia plant with high rebaudioside M content ratio, that includes detecting from a test stevia plant the presence and/or absence of at least one of (1) and (2), and at least one of (3) to (7): (1) homozygous for the allele wherein position 290 of SEQ ID NO: 1 is T; (2) homozygous for the allele wherein position 33 of SEQ ID NO: 2 is A; (3) homozygous for the allele wherein position 44 of SEQ ID NO: 3 is T; (4) homozygous for the allele wherein position 40 of SEQ ID NO: 4 is T; (5) homozygous for the allele wherein position 48 of SEQ ID NO: 5 is C; (6) homozygous for the allele wherein positions 55-72 of SEQ ID NO: 6 are deleted; (7) homozygous for the allele wherein position 50 of SEQ ID NO: 7 is A.

A stevia cultivar containing a high Rebaudioside M content, designated ‘18136109’, is disclosed. The invention relates to the plant parts of stevia cultivar ‘18136109’, to the plants of stevia ‘18136109’ and to methods for producing a stevia plant produced by crossing the cultivar ‘18136109’ with itself or another stevia variety, including methods using marker assisted breeding. The invention further relates to hybrid stevia seeds and plants produced by crossing the cultivar ‘18136109’ with another stevia cultivar. Twelve highly polymorphic SNPs loci and the corresponding genomic sequences used to identify plant variety ‘18136109’-derived plant materials are also disclosed.

A stevia cultivar with super high Rebaudioside A content, designated ‘320032’, is disclosed. Another embodiment relates to the plant parts of stevia cultivar ‘320032’, to the plants of stevia ‘320032’ and to methods for producing a stevia plant produced by crossing the cultivar ‘320032’ with itself or another stevia variety, including methods using marker assisted breeding. Another embodiment further relates to hybrid stevia seeds and plants produced by crossing the cultivar ‘320032’ with another stevia cultivar. Twelve highly polymorphic SNPs loci and the corresponding genomic sequences used to identify plant variety ‘320032’-derived plant materials are also disclosed.

Novel Stevia rebaudiana plant cultivars, a process for preparing superior compositions comprising steviol glycosides, and the advantageous use of the compositions comprising steviol glycosides in consumables, including food and beverage products, are disclosed.

Provided is a plant having at least one of genetic characteristics (A)-(E) below. (A) Alleles in which the base at the position corresponding to position 40 of SEQ ID:1 is C are homozygous or heterozygous. (B) Alleles in which the base at the position corresponding to position 21 of SEQ ID:2 is T are homozygous or heterozygous. (C) Alleles in which the base at the position corresponding to position 28 of SEQ ID:3 is T are homozygous or heterozygous. (D) Alleles in which the base at the position corresponding to position 59 of SEQ ID:4 is C are homozygous or heterozygous. (E) Alleles in which the base at the position corresponding to position 64 of SEQ ID:5 is T are homozygous or heterozygous.

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.

A new stevia variety is characterized by remarkably high levels of Rebaudioside C (RC), and developed by the use of non-GMO selective breeding technologies and wherein such variety is uniquely identified by RAPD gene analysis, and comprises from about 3-8% by weight RC in the leaf (leaf content) and from about 10-13% total steviol glycosides content (TSG) in in leaf (leaf content), both of which are exceptionally high.

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.

A new and distinct Stevia rebaudiana plant named ‘SW 227’ is described. The new variety is distinguished from other Stevia varieties by high plant vigor characterized by plant anatomy with extensive stooling and branching; an excellent sweet leaf taste with very low bitterness and aftertaste; and leaves having a rebaudioside A content of 10.7%. Samples have been collected with total steviol glycoside content of 13.3%.

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.