2026
Weather conditions and the seed market are changing very quickly, and farmers need new sugar beet hybrids and modern production technologies that meet the new conditions and climate changes. The largest global breeding companies are responding to these challenges, combining scientific efforts for the sake of finding the best solutions.
A year ago, large seed-breeding companies working in the direction of creating and developing high-yielding sugar beet united, creating the company UBS (United Beet Seeds). It currently unites the leading European brands SESVANDERHAVE, MARIBO, HILLESHÖG.
According to the general director of SESVANDERHAVE-Ukraine, Oleksandr Melnyk, the global seed market has a certain cyclicity.
"For example, in 2002-2008 the company SESVANDERHAVE occupied first place in the world in sugar beet seed sales volumes, but now another company is among the leaders. This is normal cyclicity of processes. Now SESVANDERHAVE occupies second place in some markets, and holds the lead in others. But thanks to the union our hybrid portfolio is becoming better, and we will be able to restore leading positions. This is obvious: if you have a good product — you lead the market."
So now a number of European sugar beet seed producers will carry out variety breeding, registration and sales under the single UBS brand. For its part, UBS will carry out commercial activity in Ukraine through SESVANDERHAVE-Ukraine LLC.
According to Oleksandr Melnyk, already from this season the company will bring to the Ukrainian market the newest hybrids that meet farmers' needs, i.e. high-yielding, adapted to climatic conditions, resistant to diseases.
"New sugar beet hybrids constantly appear on the market, and each country has certain climatic differences and features. For example, Spain needs drought-tolerant hybrids. There are countries where diseases are more widespread, so this factor is also taken into account when choosing hybrids for one or another market. It is very creative work — hybrid selection, but we offer the best ones we have."
UBS conducts trials and demonstrations of hybrids on European sites alongside hybrids of other breeding companies. They are guided by the indicators and by how the hybrids performed in the top 5 countries leading in sugar beet growing technology: Germany, France, Belgium, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands. In these countries the weather conditions are better than in Ukraine, primarily precipitation, and the growing season for this crop is significantly longer.
Oleksandr Melnyk notes that in 2025 in some regions of Ukraine there was enough precipitation, which made it possible to obtain a sugar beet yield at the level of 80 t/ha.
For the Ukrainian market, one of the most relevant characteristics of sugar beet hybrids is drought tolerance.
Among the newest and most promising hybrids, SESVANDERHAVE-Ukraine notes:
- Aspen — the newest SESVANDERHAVE breeding hybrid, which was registered in Ukraine in 2025. It is harmonised in high yield and sugar content (NZ-type), a favourite in European countries, especially in Hungary, productive under dry conditions. Resistant to rhizomania and cercospora, as well as to root rots.
- Fitis — a new NZ-type hybrid (yield-and-sugar). Has the largest sales in Germany. Demonstrated the best productivity indicators in comparative crops in Ukraine in 2025. The hybrid has unsurpassed resistance indicators among all known sugar beet varieties to infection by the SBR disease.
- Hameleon was the sales leader in Spain in 2024. Remains highly productive even under dry conditions, resistant to stresses, highly tolerant to cercospora and rhizomania and resists root rot pathogens.
In the near-term perspective, the CONVISO® SMART system hybrids, which are an innovative alternative for weed control in sugar beet fields, will become interesting for Ukrainian producers.
"When we talk about Conviso Smart hybrids (i.e. resistant to ALS inhibitors), it is worth noting that now in Ukraine the interest in them is not so great, since neonicotinoids can be used, which are already banned in the EU and other countries. But in the near future, with Ukraine's accession to the EU and restrictions on the use of many products, demand for CONVISO® SMART will grow."
Among the Conviso Smart hybrids he singled out the following:
- KAPRA SMART — the newest nematode-tolerant smart hybrid, which entered the Ukrainian market in 2025 and shows high results both in yield and sugar content. Has excellent resistance to "bolting" and quickly closes the leaves between the rows.
- PRIMOT SMART — an ALS hybrid of the sugary type with high resistance to cercospora. Leader of the 2025 trials in sugar collection. Resistant to root rots, and also performs well under insufficient moisture supply. Widely used in Spain, France and other EU countries. Recommended for early and medium harvest dates.
The CONVISO® SMART system hybrids, although they have a more complex growing technology, carry a number of advantages for the farmer, among which it is worth noting the reliable efficacy of the hybrids, a wide spectrum of weed control, and a reduction in the number of treatments.
Get acquainted with the new items and purchase both new and already familiar sugar beet hybrids from the European breeding leaders under the UBS brand — Ukrainian farmers will be able to do so through LNZ Group, which as an exclusive partner is the only one in Ukraine to sell the seed material from SESVANDERHAVE and SEEDEX.
Ask for seed from LNZ Group regional managers.
