VISION
To generate and disseminate technologies for stevia production to achieve national self sufficiency in stevia and industrial raw materials.
MISSION
To conduct effective stevia research with minimal negative effect on environment and dissemination of appropriate technologies for its optimal production and utilization.
Research Focus
Breeding for stevia improvement and continuous development of economical techniques for its sustainable production.
Objectives
- To develop stevia varieties that will be disease resistant, high yielding and high glycosides content.
- To develop production technologies that are economically and environmentally sustainable.
- To produce sufficient quality planting materials
- To promote utilization of value added stevia products
| Strategies for objective 1 | · Stevia Germplasm and Diversity exploration
· Agro-morphological characterization and assessment of genetic diversity in stevia using inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers · Stevia improvement through hybridization, mutation and selection · Evaluation of stevia progenies for their performance at different selection series on station and out station |
| Strategies for objective 2 | · Foliar and soil application of organic fertilizers to imrove the growth, yield and leaf quality of stevia rebaudiana
· Determination of Maize/ stevia intercropping systems and fertilizer rates on the performance of the stevia crops at badeggi · Evaluation of different spacing on growth, yield and chemical composition of Stevia plant · Comparative assessment of mulching and herbicide treatments for weed management in Stevia Cultivation |
| Strategies for objective 3 | Collaborative production of stevia seedlings through micro propagation to enhance its cultivation in Nigeria
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| Strategies for objective 4 | · Collaborative Characterization of Stevia Leaves on Phytochemical, Nutritional and Functional Properties
· Collaborative investigation on the Impact of Drying Methods on the Nutritional Composition of Stevia · Collaborative study on Acceptance of Stevia as a Sugar Substitute and its determinants among Targeted Individuals |
| Outputs | · Production of high yielding stevia genotypes
· Production of cost effective, environmental friendly and sustainable techniques · Mass production of stevia planting materials that will be diseases free and true to type
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| Outcome | · Availability of stevia genetic resources (100 accessions) for Research and Development
· Availability of improved 2 stevia varieties · Development and dissemination of production guides for optimum stevia productivity · Availability of quality planting materials to enhance stevia productivity by 15%. |
| Performance indicator | · Farmers will have access to 2 different stevia varieties
· Adoption of new production technologies by 20% stevia farmers · Access to quality planting material by stevia farmers
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