Stevia First to trial agricultural drones to boost stevia leaf productivity

US-based Stevia First is planning to conduct a field-scale study using agricultural drones to provide brief overnight illumination, in a bid to achieve dramatic gains in stevia leaf and steviol glycoside yields.

Under laboratory conditions, using brief overnight illumination to interrupt Stevia’s photoperiod has delivered significant gains in leaf biomass and steviol glycoside content, the company said.

According to researchers, brief overnight illumination of stevia with red LED light can mimic long-day growth and prevent flowering, which leads to increases in leaf mass and steviol glycoside content.

The new process resulted in a doubling of steviol glycosides within several weeks, indicating more than a five-fold gain in steviol glycosides production in a full year.

Stevia First noted that it plans to verify these results and work towards developing feasible technologies that facilitate field-scale deployment of photoperiod-interrupting technology.

Stevia First CEO Robert Brooke said that American farmers have always been quick to adapt to technological change and reap the benefits.

"Combining drones with photoperiod interruption for stevia is a radical approach that we’re thrilled to participate in the development of with local growers," Brooke said.

Currently, drones cost less than $1,000 each and may offer a more data-driven approach to farming.

If the laboratory results of photoperiod interruption can be replicated and implemented at field-scale, it could introduce an economic shift in domestic stevia production.

This could result in far greater production efficiencies compared with traditional methods currently employed in the primary growing regions of China, the company said.

Stevia First is an early-stage agribusiness based in California’s Central Valley growing region and focused on the industrial-scale production of stevia, an all-natural zero-calorie sweetener.

---

Image: Stevia First noted that combining drones with photoperiod interruption could introduce an economic shift in domestic stevia production. Photo courtesy of Mokkie.