Our scientists and development teams are constantly working on new ways to improve the properties and quality of the seed.
Seed technology
Our development team within seed technology has a unique expertise in seed production and the factors that influence the quality of the seed.
The work of the development team has resulted in a quality concept, MARIBO SeedPlus®.
MARIBO SeedPlus® is an improved quality concept for sugar beet seed, where the seed receives specialised selection and treatment during the entire production process.
Sugar beet breeding
Since 1920, we have been actively involved in sugar beet breeding and have always been an innovator, introducing new improved sugar beet varieties.
United Beet Innovation Centre (UBIC)
In September 2024, DLF Beet Seed and the Beets & Chicory Business Unit of Groupe
Florimond Desprez entered into a joint venture called United Beet Seeds (UBS). The
MARIBO® brand is since then included within the UBS umbrella company, benefitting from
its shared resources, advanced technology, and substantial investments in supply chain,
breeding, and R&D.
At the United Beet Innovation Centre (UBIC) in Tienen, Belgium, research is conducted for
the sugar beet varieties of the future, for each possible climate and region where sugar
beets grow. There, our experts analyse:
- Climates
- Soil types
- Pests and diseases
- Agronomic measures (e.g. fertiliser, plant protection products)
This enables us to develop the most suitable sugar beet varieties for farmers and industry,
tailored to different agricultural situations.
Cutting-edge sugar beet research
The UBIC consists of more than 13,000 square metres of glasshouses and 2,000 square metres of laboratories, including:
- The Product Innovation department, with breeders and specialised scientists
- The Phytopathology laboratories and greenhouses to support breeding (e.g. pests and diseases)
- Tests for abiotic stress (e.g. heat, drought, light intensity, air humidity, soil fertility, …)
Each research compartment at the UBIC can be climate-controlled separately, no matter the weather and the season outside. It enables us to create the ideal conditions for sugar beet research, seed production and growing, allowing the breeding process to move forward faster. A lot of procedures in the UBIC are automated, significantly increasing our capacity.
Of the millions of plants that undergo extensive research at the UBIC, only a few selected seeds originating from father and mother plants actually continue in the breeding process. The most promising offspring are multiplied on a larger scale to provide a wide range of potential candidates. We continuously eliminate the plants that fall short of our high standards – that’s how we ensure that only the very best sugar beet varieties are launched on the market.