Nordzucker Post 2/2025 - 28 May 2025

Flower strips on sugar beet fields promote biodiversity and beneficial insects

A project that makes field borders bloom: Since 2023, SweetFamily has been supporting the creation of flower strips on sugar beet fields in northern Germany. Farmers receive a free mixture of seeds for one year. These were sown in late March/early April so that the colourful flowers can bloom in summer. The insect-friendly mixture consists of Alexandrian clover, blue lupine, Persian clover, phacelia, white-flowering Bokhara clover and sunflowers. By using flower strips with a special plant composition, we are not only promoting biodiversity, but also specifically beneficial insects that provide biological pest control.

Field days offer solutions to challenges in beet cultivation

This year, demonstrations of the Smart Beet Initiative (SBI) will again be on display at the Nordzucker Field Days. The aim is to provide answers to practical questions about beet cultivation and to gather experience with new production techniques. A total of 28 initiatives, spread across seven countries, are being carried out in collaboration with local farmers. This year’s focus includes demonstrations on SBR/Stolbur monitoring, the use of plant protection products without triflusulfuron/with rinpode, spot spraying and robotics.

The Lower Saxony Sugar Beet Day 2025 will take place on 4 June in the Uelzen district. Visitors can expect an exciting trail tour with several stations – covering topics such as intercropping, herbicide use and different beet varieties. Hoes and harrows from various manufactures will also be demonstrated.

Further international field days are planned until the end of September in Poland, Denmark, Lithuania, Sweden, Finland and Slovakia.

The dates of the upcoming regional field days can be found here: Termine | AgriPortal