Seeds and development
Nature, high-tech and precision:
two years for top quality
Before sugarbeet seed from KWS lands on a farmer’s field, it has already been on a remarkable journey – depending on the market, across Europe or through the United States, over two growing seasons, with various stages of testing, processing, and quality control. Production is complex, highly precise, and requires a perfect combination of nature, experience and technology. In five steps, we show how our high-quality seeds are produced, enabling farmers to achieve reliable yields.
Sugarbeet needs two growing seasons. It forms the root in the first year. It then requires cold exposure over several weeks in order to flower and form seeds in the second year.
Planning with foresight – two years in advance
The journey begins long before sowing: KWS plans how much seed of which variety needs to be produced two years before it is used in the field. Market forecasts, variety properties and customer requirements all play a role. Geographical planning is also important: Large distances must be maintained between varieties with different properties, as wind can carry pollen for miles. This prevents unwanted cross-breeding.
Stecks in the south – the first vegetation phase
In August, the basic seed from KWS in Einbeck is sown in fields in Turkey and KWS’s main propagation areas – northern Italy and southwest France. The conditions there are ideal: fertile soils, just the right coolness in winter, and a wealth of experience among the farmers with whom KWS works closely. Strong stecks develop over fall and winter. They go through the necessary cold period – vernalization, a natural “switch” to trigger flowering. Covered with fleece, the stecks mature and are harvested in February.
Seed propagation – flowering, pollination, harvesting
The heart of seed production now begins: The stecks are planted out again – this time with female and male plants in strip cultivation in separate rows. In spring, the plants bolt, form flowers, and are pollinated in May over a period of around four weeks. Drip irrigation makes efficient use of water and ensures the health of the plants. After pollination, the pollen donor is removed: Only the seed of the female plant is harvested. This harvesting takes place from July to the beginning of August.
Cleaning and inspection – only the best survives
Immediately after harvesting, the seed is pre-cleaned in the propagation regions. Straw, soil and seeds that are too large or small are removed. Crucial factors are high germination capacity, vigor, varietal purity, and the specific genetic traits that guarantee that only seed with the desired properties ends up on the customer’s fields. It then goes to KWS in Einbeck for further processing.
Precision in Einbeck – processing and refinement
In Einbeck, the seed is processed in the world’s largest facility for sugarbeet seed. It is sorted, calibrated, polished and selected using X-ray and computer tomography technology. The coating that is subsequently applied during the pelleting process protects the seed and improves handling. Plant protection products and the typical orange color are now applied with precision. Finally, a last quality inspection is carried out before the seed is packaged and delivered. In the last season, KWS shipped around 3.3 million seed boxes for around 2.75 million hectares to farmers worldwide.
