## 1 Introduction  
_Stevia rebaudiana_ Bertoni is an herbaceous plant originating from Paraguay, grown primarily for its high concentration of glycosides, which are up to 300 times sweeter than the most commercially available sweetener--sugar [1]. The cultivation of this plant represents an increasing field of interest in agricultural research and sustainable food production. Remarkable sweetness of stevia is not its only advantage, as this plant is characterised with a low-calorie content and its consumption has a minimal influence on blood glucose levels [2]. Stevia is also a source of important antioxidants, such as polyphenic metabolites including flavons, flavonols and chlorogenic acids [3].  
Due to these properties, the stevia plant is widely used in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries [4]. As the consumer preferences are changing towards low-calorie options, the cultivation of this plant in diverse geographic regions, outside of South America, becomes more interesting to researchers and farmers [5]. Additionally, growing this plant in the country in which it would be used offers several advantages over shipping them from distant locations. It can result in decreased carbon emissions due to reduced transport distance [6]. Locally grown plants can reduce the costs of the final product due to lower shipping costs. Additionally, plants grown locally can be sold fresh, without the need of extensive drying techniques, reducing costs and environmental impact and increasing quality of the final product [7].  
The cultivation of plants in the country in which they will be consumed or used to produce various other products supports the local economy and decreases the reliance on the imported goods. Local production also allows for better traceability and transparency in the supply chain, which can increase food safety and consumer trust [7; 8]. Furthermore, local cultivation can enable farmers to use cultivation practices that are typical for local environmental conditions and to produce plant material that would be acceptable for consumers from that particular region or country [7; 8; 9]. However, unfortunately, as stevia originated in South America, its physiology might not be suitable for cultivation in cooler climates.  
Poland is a country with temperate seasonal climate, characterised with relatively cold winters and rather short summers. The cooler temperatures and varying precipitation patterns suggest a revaluation of traditional cultivation practices to optimise stevia's growth and yield in this region. One of the key factors in a successful cultivation of herbaceous plants is the irrigation regime, because various plants benefit greatly from the proper water management and lack of water during the cultivation of these plants can result in poor yield and unsatisfactory raw material quality [10; 11; 12; 13; 14; 15]. Plants grown with an inadequate amount of water are also often characterised with worse organoleptic properties, such as taste and aroma, which is important for potential consumers of these products [11; 12; 13]. Water stress during growth of the plants can also influence the concentration of various elements or bioactive components, such as phenolic acids or vitamins; therefore, it is an important factor in the cultivation of plants, which could potentially be used in the production of food products [10]. During this study, four types of irrigation (or lack thereof) were investigated in _Stevia reaudiana_ plants grown in Polish climate: watering two times a week, watering one time a week, watering only during drought periods and no watering at all. The goal of this study was to determine whether _Stevia reaudiana_ can be grown in Poland using different irrigation regimes and assessment of the yield of the stevia plants gathered through this study. Additionally, biometric characteristics of stevia plants and the chemical composition of the raw material were analysed.