Breeding

Successful breeding is the basis for continuous development and adaptation of the varieties in order to be able to effectively react to new challenges such as climate change.

SAATBAU LINZ invests in various breeding programmes. At the maize breeding station Schönering, we breed maize hybrids for all maize cultivation areas in Austria as well as the most important maize regions in Europe. The research and development work of SAATBAU LINZ is based on up-to-date techniques and methods. SAATZUCHT DONAU, a subsidiary of SAATBAU LINZ, engages in intensive research, breeding and development work for winter wheat, winter (brewing) barley, triticale, durum and spelt as well as rape seed and soybeans. Our sunflower breeding programme is carried out by our Romanian subsidiary DONAU SAAT. All three breeding operations focus on a continuous optimisation of technology and methodology – this is what makes us so successful!

Breeding stations

New Challenges

The effects of climate change have been ever more noticeable in recent years and the consequences are strikingly apparent. This is where our plant breeding programme comes in with consistent efforts to adapt the varieties with regard to

heat and
drought stress,
disease and
pest susceptibility.

Climate change is not only making Europe a drier and hotter place. Many new vermin are settling in our geographic zones and benefitting from milder winter temperatures. Furthermore, we also have to anticipate an increase in plant diseases. Plant breeders are working very hard to breed new varieties with corresponding resistances in order to ensure the economic success of farmers in the future.

Breeding new and high-performing varieties, adapted to regional circumstances such as climate and soil quality is our mission and our contribution to make agriculture fit for the future.

Winter brewing barley

A success story

Over the last 20 years, summer barley cultivation was on a steady decline. It is sown only in March and therefore often suffers from heat at a very young development stage. This has resulted in unstable yields and quality issues which has also had an impact on the domestic brewery sector.Through intensive cross-breeding and selection, the brewing qualities of summer barley were transferred to winter barley, a significantly higher and more stable yielding crop. Today, about 40% of the malt is derived from winter barley and this proportion is likely to rise to 70 – 80 %. Due to the changes in climatic conditions, higher yields and better malt qualities can be obtained with winter brewing barley. So winter brewing barley gives reason to hope that there wil be sufficient Austrian cereal for domestic beer production despite climate change.

From the field to the Plate

Our value chain

Research

SAATBAU LINZ invests 5 % of its annual turnover in reseach and development of new plants.

Breeding

Successful breeding is the basis for continuous development and adaptation of the varieties in order to be able to effectively react to new challenges such as climate change.

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Variety

Product development is closely linked to breeding and is responsible for selecting the most successful varieties for certification.

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Multipliers

With utmost diligence, the members of the cooperative multiply seeds produced by SAATBAU LINZ.

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Quality control

The incoming seeds are subject to a strict quality control. The examination of the seeds starts when the harvests are delivered and comes to an end when the seeds receive the national approval certification.

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Farmers

We supply our farmers with seeds for all crops and offer interesting contracts for taking over harvests.

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Erntegut

We establish reliable contract chains from farmers all the way to processers thereby ensuring quality in our nutrition.

Food

With the food division, SAATBAU is one of the most important raw material suppliers to the Central European food industry.