ÖRZG: Expertise in Sugar Beet Seed in Austria

We multiply sugar beet seed for international seed companies, producing 10–15 varieties each year and matching them to the requirements of different growing regions. Our multiplication areas cover around 200–250 hectares in Lower Austria.

Sugar beet is a biennial crop, so seed production runs across two growing seasons. Stecklings – the young beets used for replanting – are raised in the first year and develop into seed-bearing plants in the second. Because the plant is dioecious, both male and female stecklings are planted to ensure pollination. After harvest, we clean, process and test the seed for defined quality parameters, above all germination and monogermity. Each batch remains traceable at each of these steps.

We added cover crop production to our portfolio in 2015 to complement our work in sugar beet. Cover crops support soil structure and soil life, and they count toward the environmental measures of ÖPUL, Austria's agri-environmental program.

Our mixtures are especially suited for root crops, primarily sugar beet, and combine components from several plant families. Beta-Florin TG PLUS is intended for drier regions, Beta-Florin SH for wetter ones. Both consist of seven components and qualify for greening variants 1 to 5 of ÖPUL 2023. Beta-Florin Light contains five components and covers variants 3 to 5. Selected components are multiplied by partner farms in Austria, then cleaned, processed and blended at our Tulln site.

The current brochure lists mixture composition and ordering details. Customers with RIS access can order directly via ris.agrana.com.

Cover Crop Mixture Beta-Florin TG Plus

Cover Crop Mixture Beta-Florin Light

Cover Crop Mixture Beta-Florin SH

Our field trial team works mainly on sugar beet, in small plots of around 8 m². The trials address variety screening in the field, crop protection and nutrient supply. Trial sites range from the Marchfeld, Tullnerfeld and Weinviertel to the region around Linz.

We work closely with the AGRANA Research & Innovation Center and the AGRANA raw material departments for sugar and starch. We also run plots for external seed, fertilizer and crop protection companies. ÖRZG is an authorized partner of AGES for official sugar beet variety testing, and BAES publishes the results for individual varieties.