SAATEN-UNION GmbH

SAATEN-UNION GmbH is a German plant-breeding and seed-marketing organization headquartered in Isernhagen. It functions as the joint sales and distribution platform for five mid-sized German plant-breeding companies, which are its shareholders. The company describes itself as a German plant-breeding enterprise with a full product range, and its guiding motto is "Züchtung ist Zukunft" (Breeding is the future). The company's portfolio covers major agricultural crops including maize, wheat, barley and rye, as well as a broad selection of catch crops (Zwischenfrüchte), grasses and peas. Its product lines include winter and summer wheat, spelt, hybrid wheat, durum, triticale, hybrid and population rye, fodder and malting barley, oats, maize, sugar beet, field peas, field beans, soybeans, flax and sunflowers. It also markets branded seed mixtures such as SortenGreening, viterra, V-Max fodder and biomass mixtures, and V-Max Öko. SAATEN-UNION is owned by five German breeding companies: P. H. Petersen Saatzucht Lundsgaard GmbH, Norddeutsche Pflanzenzucht Hans-Georg Lembke KG, Dr. Hans Rolf Späth GmbH & Co. KG, W. von Borries-Eckendorf GmbH & Co. KG, and Nordsaat Saatzucht GmbH. Until early 2024, Strube Research GmbH & Co. KG was also a shareholder; it transferred its shares to SAATEN-UNION GmbH. During 2024, Ackermann Saatzucht GmbH & Co. KG also left the shareholder group. Internationally, the company operates under a umbrella brand with eight subsidiaries in France, England, the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Russia and, since 2009, Ukraine. In other countries it maintains distribution cooperations. The Rapool-Ring GmbH distribution cooperation and the distribution mandate for HYBRO Saatzucht GmbH & Co. KG varieties further strengthen its market position. The SAATEN-UNION Group employs around 780 people across Europe, of whom about seventy work at the headquarters in Isernhagen. Research and development is supported by Saaten-Union Biotec GmbH, a biotechnology laboratory founded in 1984 as Saaten-Union Resistenzlabor and renamed in 2009. Its goal is to use new technologies to develop higher-yielding, healthier and higher-quality varieties. The company also runs digital services such as a variety finder, a catch-crop calculator and the praxiscast.agrar advisory format.

SAATEN-UNION GmbH is a German plant-breeding and seed-marketing organization that operates as the joint sales platform for five mid-sized German plant-breeding companies. Its shareholders are P. H. Petersen Saatzucht Lundsgaard GmbH, Norddeutsche Pflanzenzucht Hans-Georg Lembke KG, Dr. Hans Rolf Späth GmbH & Co. KG, W. von Borries-Eckendorf GmbH & Co. KG, and Nordsaat Saatzucht GmbH. The company describes itself as a German plant-breeding enterprise with a full product range, and its motto is "Züchtung ist Zukunft" (Breeding is the future). The shareholder companies have long and varied histories. P. H. Petersen was founded in 1931 and joined Saaten Union as a shareholder in 1971. In 1982 it became a member of Hybro GbR and bred hybrid rye. In 1996 Petersen developed the first oil radish with nematode resistance level 1, and in 2004 the oil radish variety Defender with multi-resistance came onto the market. Biofumigation was introduced in 2009. Norddeutsche Pflanzenzucht Hans-Georg Lembke KG traces its origins to 1897 and the work of agronomist Hans Lembke; it is a shareholder of Saaten Union and of Rapool Ring GmbH, and breeds and markets oil crops, grain legumes, grasses and clover species. Dr. Hans Rolf Späth GmbH & Co. KG was founded in 1972 and breeds spelt, durum and asparagus, with its registered office in Rastatt. W. von Borries-Eckendorf GmbH & Co. KG has origins dating back to 1849 at Gut Eckendorf; in 2011 it employed around forty people breeding wheat, barley and fodder beet, marketed through Saaten-Union and Rapool Ring GmbH. Nordsaat Saatzucht GmbH was founded in 1911 by Carl von Schultz as the Norddeutsche Saatzuchtgesellschaft KG von Schultz-Granskevitz in Granskevitz on Rügen; after 1945 it was re-established in Schleswig-Holstein by his widow. Since the 1950s Nordsaat has worked on developing hybrid wheat varieties, and it took over the entire hybrid wheat programme of the GDR as well as the hybrid wheat division of Hybritech/Monsanto. Until early 2024, Strube Research GmbH & Co. KG (known as Strube-Dieckmann until 2009), based in Söllingen, was also a shareholder; it transferred its shares to SAATEN-UNION GmbH. During 2024, Ackermann Saatzucht GmbH & Co. KG also left the shareholder group. In 1984, the then seven shareholders of SAATEN-UNION GmbH founded Saaten-Union Resistenzlabor. The aim was to carry out joint and synergistic research and development work in biotechnology-supported plant breeding. In 2009 the company was renamed Saaten-Union Biotec GmbH because of its international significance. In 1999, Deutsche Saatveredelung joined as the eighth shareholder of Saaten-Union Biotec GmbH. In July 2011, the accession of Solana Research GmbH was decided; it is part of the Solana Group, and Solana GmbH & Co. KG is the exclusive sales organization of SaKa Pflanzenzucht GmbH & Co. KG. The companies receive support for their breeding programmes from the biotechnology laboratory Saaten-Union Biotec GmbH, with the goal of using new technologies to develop higher-yielding, healthier and higher-quality varieties. Across Europe, the company is active as an umbrella brand with eight subsidiaries in France, England, the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Russia and, since 2009, Ukraine; in other countries it maintains distribution cooperations. The Rapool-Ring GmbH distribution cooperation with its subsidiaries, as well as the distribution mandate for the varieties of HYBRO Saatzucht GmbH & Co. KG, help to consolidate the position of Saaten-Union in the market. The SAATEN-UNION Group employs around 780 people across Europe, of whom about seventy work at the headquarters in Isernhagen. In March 2026, the Bundessortenamt in Hannover newly approved six cereal varieties from Saaten-Union, including three winter wheats, one triticale, one hybrid rye and one fodder barley. The company continues to run digital services such as a variety finder, a catch-crop calculator and the praxiscast.agrar advisory format, and it markets branded seed mixtures such as SortenGreening, viterra, V-Max and V-Max Öko.

• 2026

  Bundessortenamt in Hannover newly approved six cereal varieties from Saaten-Union, including three winter wheats, one triticale, one hybrid rye and one fodder barley.

• 2024

  Strube Research GmbH & Co. KG transferred its shares to SAATEN-UNION GmbH; Ackermann Saatzucht GmbH & Co. KG also left the shareholder group.

• 2011

  Accession of Solana Research GmbH decided; W. von Borries-Eckendorf employed around forty people breeding wheat, barley and fodder beet.

• 2009

  Saaten-Union Resistenzlabor renamed Saaten-Union Biotec GmbH; biofumigation introduced; subsidiary established in Ukraine.

• 2004

  The oil radish variety Defender with multi-resistance came onto the market.

• 1999

  Deutsche Saatveredelung joined as the eighth shareholder of Saaten-Union Biotec GmbH.

• 1996

  Petersen developed the first oil radish with nematode resistance level 1.

• 1984

  The then seven shareholders of SAATEN-UNION GmbH founded Saaten-Union Resistenzlabor for biotechnology-supported plant breeding research.

• 1982

  P. H. Petersen became a member of Hybro GbR and bred hybrid rye.

• 1972

  Dr. Hans Rolf Späth GmbH & Co. KG founded, based in Rastatt.

• 1971

  P. H. Petersen joined Saaten Union as a shareholder.

• 1931

  P. H. Petersen Saatzucht Lundsgaard GmbH founded.

• 1911

  Nordsaat Saatzucht GmbH founded by Carl von Schultz as Norddeutsche Saatzuchtgesellschaft KG von Schultz-Granskevitz in Granskevitz on Rügen.

• 1897

  Origins of Norddeutsche Pflanzenzucht Hans-Georg Lembke KG in the work of agronomist Hans Lembke.

• 1849

  Origins of W. von Borries-Eckendorf GmbH & Co. KG at Gut Eckendorf.

Full-range German plant-breeding and seed-marketing organization owned by five mid-sized breeding companies, focused on sustainable, diverse and affordable seed for the agricultural transformation.

• Winter wheat varieties

  Bred and marketed for German and European agriculture.

• Hybrid rye

  Bred by shareholder P. H. Petersen and others.

• Hybrid wheat

  Nordsaat has worked on hybrid wheat since the 1950s and took over the GDR hybrid wheat programme.

• Maize varieties (SU Mais BOOST)

  BOOST programme offers tailored varieties or mixtures for every utilization direction.

• Catch crop mixtures

  Broad selection of catch crops for crop rotations, with a dedicated catalogue and calculator.

• V-Max fodder and biomass mixtures

  Branded mixtures for fodder and biomass production, including V-Max Öko.

• SortenGreening mixtures

  Branded seed mixtures.

• viterra mixtures

  Branded seed mixtures.

1. 1SAATEN-UNION GmbH: Züchtung ist Zukunft - Saaten Unionsaaten-union.de
2. 2Über uns - Saaten Unionsaaten-union.de
3. 3Meldeformular - Saaten Unionsaaten-union.de
4. 4Saaten Union - Wikidatawikidata.org
5. 5Saaten-Union - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org