VALUE OF CULTIVATION AND USE OF HERBICIDE -RESISTANT SUGAR-BEET VARIETIES IN GERMANY - IS THERE PROFITABILITY OF APPLICATION SYSTEMS WITH NONSELECTIVE HERBICIDES

Gentechnological herbicide-resistant sugar-beet varieties will be grow n in Germany only after the registration by the national variety regis tration authority (Bundessortenamt). Therefore varieties must reach th e value for cultivation and use (landeskultureller Wert), i.e. a clear improvement of the entire yield parameters of the crop or other aspec ts of agronomy. The yield parameters of varieties in application syste ms with non-selective herbicides are: variety performance with less ph ytotoxicity herbicide effect and broad effectiveness costs for seed an d herbicide In Germany an application for registration of glufosinate- resistant sugar beet varieties (trade name: Basta) is expected first. First experiences of the herbicide effect demonstrate the necessity of relative high and repeated application of glufosinate, while as well costs of seed and herbicide as the performance of the variety is unkno wn due to absence of seed and the need of Field experiments (Freisetzu ngsexperimente). which must be specially permitted in Germany. The pro gress in yield of new varieties nowadays is very high. Consequently, t here is a substantial demand for yield potential of gentechnological v arieties in particular in sugar beet. Compared to conventional varieti es and application systems of herbicides, the grower will choose gente chnological herbicide-resistant varieties in sugar beet only when bett er profitability is given. To realize this in Germany, a clear improve ment of the value of cultivation and use (landeskultureller Wert) is a prerequisite. It is not yet to estimate if this improvement exists in gentechnological herbicide-resistant sugar-beet varieties. In particu lar there is a need of substantial testing of sugar beer varieties for yield and quality according to the guideline for running variety tria ls of the variety registration authority (Bundessortenamt).