The Seed

SMART KWS Varieties

New beet varieties, bred to be herbicide tolerant.

At first glance, SMART KWS Seeds have the same characteristics and distinct outer colour as classic seeds. But their purple core reveals that they have been bred to be tolerant to ALS-inhibitor herbicide CONVISO® ONE - helping to achieve a new dimension in efficient and effective weed control.

SMART Tolerance

SMART KWS varieties have bred to be tolerant to the new herbicide CONVISO® ONE, providing excellent crop safety during herbicide application.

Yield plus crop protection

Utilise the full yield potential of SMART KWS seeds with no impact on crop development, while protecting the beet from phytotoxic damage.

More options and flexibility

Sugar and fodderbeet varieties available for cultivation, requiring less herbicide to control weeds which can help free up resources in spring.

The science behind SMART Seed tolerance

KWS observed a natural alteration occurring within beet enzyme, impacting the essential amino acids a plant needs to grow. From this discovery, a new SMART Seed variety with a natural herbicide tolerance was developed.

Breeding for yield and protection

The backbone of the new system is a family of new SMART KWS varieties. Classic breeding techniques were used to identify and to integrate the tolerance to ALS (Acetolactat-Synthase)-inhibitors into KWS breeding programs to make SMART KWS varieties the perfect partner to the herbicide CONVISO® ONE.

The specific ALS-tolerance of the SMART KWS varieties allows us to use the new herbicide CONVISO® ONE, efficient against grass and broad-leaf weeds. This broad-spectrum control was not possible in beet before. As in classic breeding, a new breeding program takes some generations to reach highest performance.

The search for this new specific tolerance to an ALS-inhibiting-herbicide and the development of the first generations of varieties was a dedicated piece of KWS research and development.

It took more than 15 years of enthusiasm and commitment of an engaged team of KWS researchers and breeders to develop this strategic new approach for beet. Out of 1.5 billon individuals one single herbicide tolerant individual was naturally found, which formed the basis for the development of the new CONVISO® SMART system.

The tolerance of the new SMART KWS varieties has been obtained through a naturally occurring change in an enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of essential amino acids. Beet plants with this spontaneously changed enzyme were specifically selected and used for further breeding to develop SMART KWS varieties.

Varieties available for NZ farmers

SMART SANYA KWS

The SMART sugarbeet variety, perfect for lifting and bred to be tolerant to the CONVISO ONE herbicide, as part of the CONVISO® SMART system

SMART JOSINA KWS

The SMART fodderbeet variety is bred to be tolerant to the CONVISO® ONE herbicide. High DM% grazing type; 20% - 22% DM which can be grazed or lifted

Using SMART KWS Seeds

1. SMART IDENTIFYING

The pelleting material, pellet size, treatments and outer colour of SMART KWS seeds will have the same characteristics as classic KWS seeds, the inner colour is purple, unlike the classic seeds which is grey.

The seedbox will be clearly differentiated by the green top, CONVISO® SMART branding and the SMART product name.Do not to mix SMART KWS seeds with classic seeds. Classic varieties are sensitive to CONVISO® ONE and would be damaged if sprayed.

2. SMART SOWING

There is no need to adjust equipment or machinery.

Never mix SMART KWS seeds with classic seeds. Only SMART KWS varieties are tolerant to the ALS-inhibitor herbicide CONVISO® ONE. Classic varieties are sensitive to CONVISO® ONE and would be damaged if sprayed. To fully profit from the CONVISO® SMART system it is very important to mix SMART seeds with classic varieties!

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