BBRO 2027 Recommended List sees 15 new varieties added
27th February 2026
The BBRO 2027 Recommended List introduces significant updates, including the use of commercial priming and pelleting on varieties, alongside the launch of a new interactive BBRO RL website to help growers assess and compare the latest listings.
The overall number of varieties available to growers increases from 23 in 2026 to 35 in 2027.
Also, the number of varieties with special trait claims continues to develop further to provide additional solutions for wider industry challenges. The New Year 1 entries, in order of yield performance, include:
1. ST Rotterdam (Strube-RAGT)
2. Possom (SV)
3. Partridge (SV)
4. Pintail (SV) BCN
5. Mallard (SV) BCN
6. Petrel (SV)
7. Grouse (SV)
8. Curlew (SV)
9. Snipe (SV)
10. BTS 7870 (Limagrain) VY
11. Niksha (KWS) VY
12. Smart Agneta KWS ALS
13. BTS Smart 8565 (Limagrain) ALS
14. BTS Smart 4960 (Limagrain) ALS
15. Smart Attala KWS ALS & BCN
New varieties
For 2027, the top-yielding Year 1 variety is ST Rotterdam from Strube-RAGT, although this is unsuitable for early drilling.
SESVanderHave introduces eight new varieties to the UK market, offering six as high-yielding conventional varieties (Possom, Partridge, Petrel, Grouse, Curlew and Snipe), alongside Pintail and Mallard to provide further varieties against BCN; both BCN varieties qualify for early drilling.
KWS brings three new varieties to market for 2027, with Niksha KWS joining Generosa KWS as a further virus-tolerant variety; please refer to the breeder regarding the virus yellows trait claims.
Smart Agneta KWS bolsters the offering of ALS varieties for 2027, while Smart Attala KWS provides a second option for those growers who want both BCN and ALS resistance stacked in the same variety.
Limagrain has introduced three new varieties for 2027, with BTS 7870 becoming their first entry for VY resistance (please refer to the breeder for details) and two new ALS-herbicide varieties: BTS Smart 8565 and BTS Smart 4960.
2025 trials
While 2025 was favourable for sugar beet growing, drought conditions and seedbed conditions on heavier land were challenging for establishing some trials.
In 2025, three late-lifted RL trials were also harvested as part of BBRO’s three-year evaluation of variety performance later in the season.
Changes to the RL table
2027 has seen a number of changes to the RL tables, both in their design and the change from genetic to product testing from the 2025 BBRO RL trials.
The availability of certain varieties is now available in either their commercially available breeders’ pellets or the option to purchase the Germains pellet too.
As in previous years, it should be noted that many differences between individual varieties are small and not statistically significant and should be treated with caution.
All growers and advisors will have been frequently reminded of the importance of the ‘X’ on the RL table, with early-sown bolter trials providing data to not drill certain varieties before mid-March to mitigate the risk of bolting.
As in 2026, a purple ‘X’ is included; this recommendation is from the breeder and does not relate to bolter numbers. The advice relates to Smart varieties only and reflects the stewardship advice for ALS technology.
The sugar beet RL and VL
The RL is run and funded by BBRO, whilst the VL (carried out to support listing in the UK) is run and funded by the breeders and independently verified by BSPB. The VL seed is not primed.
On the new BBRO interactive RL website, it is now possible and easier to compare the three-year data sets that are used to produce the overall RL tables. Early-sown bolting was determined in the separate trials that were not taken to yield.
The RL dataset also includes disease infection from separate trials that were not treated with foliar fungicides.
READ MORE: New forward index-linked contract option for UK sugar beet growers
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