On 24 June 2026, United Beet Seeds and its partners officially launched project B‑WISE (Beet Water and nItrogen use Efficiency for Sustainable and resilient sugar beets). It’s a major research project aiming to help develop the next generation of sugar beet varieties.
Supported by Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO) through a research project subsidy for innovation, B-WISE focuses on strengthening our understanding of how genetics, environment and crop management interact to drive yield, nitrogen efficiency and drought resilience.
Why B‑WISE matters for growers
Farmers are facing growing pressure due to:
- Volatile fertilizer prices
- Stricter nitrogen‑use regulations
- Increasingly climate variability
To remain competitive and sustainable, crops must deliver more with fewer inputs.
B‑WISE aims to generate the scientific insights needed to breed sugar beet varieties that are:
- More resilient
- More resource-efficient
- Better adapted to tomorrow’s farming conditions
The project brings together ILVO, Biometris (Wageningen University & Research) and United Beet Seeds, and is actively supported and closely followed by stakeholders across the sugar beet industry – a great example of innovation through collaboration.
We look forward to the impact B‑WISE will deliver for growers and for the sugar beet sector!
With support of
VLAIO, ILVO and Biometris (Wageningen University & Research)
Powered by United Beet Seeds (UBS)
SESVanderHave is powered by United Beet Seeds (UBS), a joint venture founded in September 2024 by Groupe Florimond Desprez and DLF Seeds A/S, bringing together expertise across sugar beet seed research, production, processing and commercialisation. The B‑WISE project is another example of how UBS strengthens our breeding and research capabilities.
