Change is coming to sugar beet

Sugar beet remains the only crop that has continued to deliver a year-on-year increase in yields for UK growers. This is down to two things; professional growers and a heavy investment in research and development by breeders, suggested SesVanderHave’s Ian Munnery when he caught up with Farmers Guide.

After several reviews, announcements were made recently confirming that the UK seed account managed by NFU Sugar and British Sugar recognises the need to reform and improve the attractiveness of the UK to breeders. For growers and breeders alike, it promises to unlock and accelerate access to new, improved genetics and treatments, offering greater resilience and higher yields.

In parallel, both NFU Sugar and British Sugar recognised that BBRO trials should provide better information to inform grower choice by testing the physical finished individual seed lots that growers are actually sowing on farm and mirror commercial growing practice. “Both quantum changes are long overdue and welcomed,” commented Mr Munnery, but at time of writing it is still to be announced how or when these will be introduced despite the clear intention to change.

SesVanderHave has been investing in breeding, trials and research in the UK for many years with an extensive trials network and expanding team based in Wellingore, Lincs.

“It takes 10 years to develop a new genetic and three years to produce our high quality seed, so our selection decisions are based on extensive and robust testing on whole fields, strip trials and replicated trials on farms across East Anglia and the East Midlands with the same commercial primed and pelleted seed lots offered on farm. It is the same for testing in the presence of beet cyst nematodes. Although thankfully the wet weather has effectively removed the threat from virus yellows,” explains Mr Munnery.

“We passionately believe that growers and agronomists should have full access to regional data, finished product results and the most recent 2024 field data so they can gauge performance from commercial seed lots before making important decisions on seed choices – the foundation of any crop.”

This is one of the reasons SesVanderHave has been growing its Club SV, for growers across East Anglia and East Midlands who want to gain valuable and earlier insights into the performance of new genetics, treatments and agronomy on their own farms.

Mr Munnery explained that maintaining genetic innovations in the sugar beet crop is crucial to maintain competitiveness against overseas producers, and in doing so sustain this important break crop in rotations and the associated industry and jobs it supports across the country.

“Our exciting new pipeline of genetics and treatments have been demonstrating significant gains in performance and will be accessible to growers for 2025 sowing as well as some exciting new seed treatments,” concludes Mr Munnery. 

For further information contact SesVanderHave directly.

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