Workers and family on the Strube field

History Our company history

The company's roots

In the year 1877, the farmer Friedrich Strube began exploring the systematic breeding of sugar beet and wheat. With this he laid the foundation for the success story of the Strube company as a plant breeder and seed producer.

 

The climate and soils in the Harz foreland and in the Magdeburg Börde were ideal for field crops. As a result, many farmers were making selections of their best varieties in this time.

 

 

The first findings on the genetic inheritance of characteristics, such as the Mendelian inheritance, made a huge contribution to progress in crop production in those days.

Strube's success story continues: all along, our committed personnel and loyal customers have ensured the continued existence and growth of our company. Despite many challenges, Strube was able to develop into a successful breeder.
As a visionary plant breeder, we are looking towards the future. We are always working on better varieties in outstanding quality.

Locations

sugar beet variety degas on the field

About Strube Sugar Beet UK

Strube UK are based at the heart of the UK sugar beet growing in Eye, Suffolk. From here, our team of local sugar beet experts can offer you a personalised, local service throughout the season to help you to achieve the best possible yields and profitability from your sugar beet. The Strube UK team run regular sugar beet trials and research activities in the UK, all of which you are welcome to be a part of.
Strube headquater in Söllingen, Germany
The headquarter of the company is in Söllingen, Lower Saxony. The expropriation of the Schlanstedt site in 1945 prompted the Strube family to reorganise themselves. Söllingen ensured optimal conditions for re-establishing the company and continuing their breeding work.

How everything began

Since its establishment in 1877 our company has changed, grown, and adapted to the requirements of the times. We will take you on a journey through our history.

  1. Friedrich Strube

    Foundation

    The farmer Friedrich Strube began with the selective breeding of sugar beet and wheat in Schlanstedt, Upper-Saxony.

  2. Strubes dickkopf

    Strubes dickkopf

    Awarding of the DLG gold medal for the winter wheat variety Strubes dickkopf (originally Strubes Schlanstedter Squarehead).

  3. Technique development

    Technique development

    In addition to new buildings with a grain elevator and rooms for processing Strube set up high-performance drying and treatement systems. Within this innovations Strube got a leading position in the German seed breeding companies.

  4. Strubes Roter Schlanstedter Sommerweizen

    Strubes Roter Schlanstedter spring wheat

    First DLG recognition of Strubes Roter Schlanstedter spring wheat.

  5. Seed dressing against common bunt

    Seed dressing against common bunt

    First introduction of industrial seed dressing for wheat against common bunt in Germany.

  6. Test station Guty

    Test station Guty

    Building of the breeding station in Guty in what was then Russia, in what is now Ukraine.

  7. First german seed cleaning

    First german seed cleaning

    Germany´s first seed cleaning system was put into operation.

  8. Strube breeding station Detenic 1920

    Breeding station Detenic

    A breeding station was built in Detenic, Czechoslovakia.

  9. castle ground Schöningen

    Castle ground Schöningen

    The castle ground Schöningen in the district of Helmstedt was leased.

  10. 50 years Strube

    50 years Strube

    The 50th anniversary of Strube strengthened the sales activities in the USA.

  11. Marke GK

    Marke GK

    Marketing authorisation of the first easily lifted sugar beet variety Marke GK.

  12. Strubes dickkopf II

    Strubes dickkopf II

    Marketing authorisation of the winter wheat Strubes dickkopf II.

  13. Schlanstedt

    Expropriation Schlanstedt

    Expropriation of the headquarter in Schlanstedt.

  14. Restart of breeding

    Restart of breeding

    The company was re-established at the castle ground in Schöningen. Here the restart of the breeding took place.

  15. 1955 Strubes fortschritt

    Strubes Fortschritt

    Marketing authorisation of the first post-war wheat, the spring wheat Strubes fortschritt.

  16. Strube sugar factory Söllingen

    Sugar factory Söllingen

    In Söllingen the management bought the closed sugar factory. The building was extended.

  17. Strube farino

    farino

    Winter wheat farino, first A1 in Germany.

  18. Saaten-Union

    Saaten-Union

    Founding of the Saaten-Union as a co-shareholder.

  19. 1966 Strube-Dieckmann

    Strube-Dieckmann

    Strube and Dieckmann found a sugar beet breeding community.

  20. Strube gemo

    gemo

    Marketing authorisation of the first monogerm sugar beet variety gemo in Germany.

  21. Strube celebrates the 100th anniversary

    Strube celebrates the 100th anniversary

    In spite of two world wars and the loss of the initial breeding station the company has become one of the biggest private breeding companies.

  22. Strube cermo

    cermo

    Marketing authorisation of the first cercospora-tolerant variety cermo in Italy.

  23. Strube sanamono

    sanamono

    Marketing authorisation of the first rhizomania-/cercospora-tolerant variety sanamono in Italy.

  24. Strube colibri

    colibri

    Marketing authorisation for the low soil tare variety colibri in Germany and France.

  25. 1991 Strube variety pooling

    Variety pooling

    Agreement on the variety pooling of Strube and Ackermann Saatzucht.

  26. 1991 Strube ZRSamen

    2D - automatic X-ray analysis

    Introduction of automatic X-ray analysis to evaluate seed quality.

  27. 1992 Strube Schlanstedt

    Schlanstedt

    Reacquisition of parts of the ancestral seat in Schlanstedt after reunification.

  28. Seed quality index

    Seed quality index

    Implementation of the seed quality index for analytical methods.

  29. Strube xenos

    xenos

    xenos was the first Strube facultative wheat variety to be given the trademark WeW®.

  30. Strube BlueMobil I

    BlueMobil I

    The first BlueMobil was put into operation. The converted beet lifter is a travelling laboratory, which not only harvests the plots, but also performs evaluations directly on-site.

  31. Strube premiere

    premiere

    Marketing authorisation of the first rhizomania-, rhizoctonia-, and cercospora-tolerant variety premiere in Germany.

  32. 2003 Strube STZ

    Seed Technology Centre

    Opening of the Seed Technology Centre in Söllingen.

  33. 3D seed quality analysis

    3D seed quality analysis

    Introduction of computer tomography for three-dimensional analysis of the seed quality.

  34. Strube Quick tests

    Quick tests

    Use of quick tests for rhizomania and rhizoctonia.

  35. 3Dplus seed activation

    3Dplus seed activation

    Introduction of 3Dplus seed activation. Higher sugar yields are achieved through faster field emergence.

  36. Biotechnology laboratory

    Biotechnology laboratory

    Opening of the new biotechnology lab in Schlanstedt.

  37. Plant laser scanner

    Plant laser scanner

    Development of a plant laser scanner for precise measurement of the plants in the field.

  38. Strube Weber cleaner

    Weber cleaner

    Mobile stone separation facility for sugar beets (Weber cleaner).

  39. Strube Sunflower

    Sunflower

    Expansion of the product portfolio with the addition of sunflowers.

  40. 2012 Strube CT1

    CT-Technology for seed analysis

    Full automation of the CT technology for seed analysis.

  41. Strube Sweet corn and vining pea

    Sweet corn and vining pea

    Strube becomes the exclusive distribution partner for sweetcorn and vining peas in Europe.

  42. 2015 Forum Strube

    Forum Strube

    Opening of the Forum Strube: The former sugar beet juice factory is turned into a modern office and conference centre.

  43. 2016 Strube Deepfield 4D-Scan

    Presentation of Deepfield 4D-Scan

    Development of the self-navigating crop emergence and seedling scanner: Deepfield 4D-Scan.

  44. Strube phenoTest

    Presentation of phenoTest

    Development of phenoTest, a high-throughput germination test method. The phenoTest is based on automated 4D-phenotyping of germinating seeds and the corresponding seedling in the laboratory.

  45. Change of ownership Strube new management verjux  knolle deleplanque suet

    Change of ownership / New beginning at Strube

    The companies Deleplanque & Cie and SUET Saat- und Erntetechnik GmbH have acquired the seed company Strube on 1st April 2018.

  46. Strube PhenoBob

    Presentation of PhenoBob

    Development of the PhenoBob. The phenoFieldBot is a self-navigating vehicle with a camera system for the image-based analysis of plants.

  47. Logo of the Vitaly range

    First virus yellowing tolerant varieties

    We began our initial research into yellowing viruses in 2010. Since 2023, we have been able to offer you tolerant varieties. With our Vitaly® range, we secure your yields and help you to work more sustainably. The varieties deliver a high level of performance under all types of yellowing viruses.