Mission statement

We breed and develop high-quality, healthy, site-adapted and high-yielding varieties of cereals, oil and protein plants using modern technologies, exploiting the synergies of the two locations in Probstdorf and Reichersberg and in close cooperation with partner companies and research institutes. 
 
Through optimal marketing of these varieties at home and abroad, agriculture as well as shareholders and employees of SAATZUCHT DONAU should benefit from the broad utilisation of the achieved breeding progress.  

History

On July 1, 2000, Probstdorfer Saatzucht and Saatbau Linz merged their activities in this field of cereals and oil and protein plants in a joint subsidiary, SAATZUCHT DONAU GesmbH & CoKG, in order to strengthen and increase the efficiency of breeding and variety development.
 
This joint company will thus continue the breeding tradition of both shareholders, each of whom has more than 50 years of experience in the production, marketing and sales of seeds, and who will continue to maintain their activities in full, independently of each other. 
 
From the time of foundation, genetic material in the crop species processed by SAATZUCHT DONAU was only registered for value assessment by SAATZUCHT DONAU in Austria or via partner companies abroad. 

SAATZUCHT DONAU runs at the moment the following breeding programs:

Breeding station Probstdorf: Winter wheat, winter- and spring durum wheat, 6row winter barley

Breeding station Reichersberg: Soybean, winter oilseed rape, winter triticale, 2row winter barley, winter spelt wheat

Variety registration

Since 2003 418 varieties were registered for Saatzucht Donau in Austria (including 183 own varieties). In a total of 19 European countries (Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Serbia, France, Slovenia, Croatia, Denmark, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Lithuania, Germany, Bulgaria, Belarus and Moldowa) there were a further 435 variety registrations. Since 2003 428 varieties were registered for Saatzucht Donau in Austria (including 190 own varieties). In a total of 20 European countries (Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Serbia, France, Slovenia, Croatia, Denmark, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Lithuania, Germany, Bulgaria, Belarus and Moldowa, UK) there were a further 475 variety registrations. 

Soya breeding has been particularly successful in the last 10 years. Saatzucht Donau is now the most successful soybean breeder in the EU and the clear number 1 in market share throughout the EU.