Industry Representatives gather for Sugarbeet Seed Week
Every year Michigan State University Extension services host Sugarbeet Seed Week, a key industry event that features five growing locations spanning through Michigan and southern Canada. The purpose of the event is to introduce sugarbeet growers to new varieties and provide them with information on how to manage the genetics for better success. According to the universities website, “This is the best source of current variety information that has been conducted by the Michigan Sugar Company, MSU Sugarbeet Advancement and individual seed companies.”
Growers in Michigan State experience a record harvest
2016 Offers Promising New Sugarbeet Varieties
At this year’s Sugarbeet Seed Week event, attendees traveled to five locations to preview both small trials and large strip trials so they may select from the new sugarbeet varieties that are now available for the 2016 planting season. Trials and events such as this give growers the chance to gather valuable information about the new varieties key characteristics such as; yield, sugar content, disease and pest resistance. Under variable growing conditions, growers can assess the performance of each variety from each of the events locations allowing sugarbeet growers to assess whether or not the seed varieties will perform as well in their own growing region.
A Valuable Industry Event
Germains Seed Technology Agronomist Randy Hemb has been attending this event for years and finds it to be an important industry event for anyone involved in the sugar industry to attend. Randy shares that “Whether you’re a grower or work within other segments of the U.S. industry, Sugar Beet Week provides valuable up to date information for seed variety of selections, including a significant amount of research data and sales information that improves your odds of crop success.” In addition, “for the 2016 sugar beet season there are twenty approved sugar beet varieties available for purchase, but only six of them are new varieties. But I am please that both Seedex and Hilleshog is offering xbeet® on all their varieties in 2016.”
Michigan State Sugarbeet Seed Week 2015 | Sugarbeet field trials
Due to Michigan’s record-breaking crop harvest the attendees this year were optimistic about the 2016 growing season and excited about the advancements that are taking place with seed technology.” Seed technology, equipment, field management, and, of course, rainfall, all played a part in Michigan 2015 record harvest of over 5.2 million tons expected to be processed by Michigan Sugar Company. Germains Seed Technology is looking forward to pairing our xbeet seed technology with the sugar beet varieties to help Michigan Sugar Beet growers maximize their crop’s potential in 2016. Please visit our website for more information about Germains seed technologies.