Recent independent trial work by Richard Austin Agriculture, supported by Unium Bioscience, shows that biological products such as T6P and Klorofill significantly improve sugar beet yields.

Real yield benefits

Untreated plots averaged 75.52 T/ha, while treated crops achieved up to 85.5 T/ha with T6P and 84.66 T/ha with Klorofill, delivering a yield uplift of over 13%.

Sugar content also improved across treatments. T6P, in particular, raised sugar levels to above 17%, providing a double benefit of higher root mass and better sugar concentration. Additionally, Klorofill led to reduced amino nitrogen levels, a critical factor for sugar beet quality and processing efficiency.

"This data backs up what we've seen in the field," says Mark Hemmant, Technical Manager at Agrovista, exclusive distributors of T6P and Klorofill. "The Unium products consistently improve plant health, and help crops better handle tough conditions. That translates into real returns for growers - higher yields, better quality, and more sustainable production."

According to Andrew Cromie, commercial manager at Unium Bioscience, crop observations throughout the season further validated the mode of action of these biologicals.

"Visually, the plants treated with T6P and Klorofill looked healthier," he says. The first treatment of both products was applied in June, a critical time when beets are ramping up chlorophyll production. "Supporting photosynthesis at this stage sets the crop up for success," he says. The second application was made in September, helping sugars move down to the taproot.  

"Sugar beet function like small solar panels, converting sunlight into sugar, which makes it easier to measure the impact of these products, given their well-understood modes of action. Klorofill improves photosynthesis and therefore carbohydrate production within the plant, helping to maintain green leaf area, while T6P enhances the transport of sugars to the taproot. The result is a direct increase in root yield - in this case, up to 85 T/ha adjusted yield. It's a double win: greater root mass and higher sugar content," he says.

"Klorofill plays an essential role in stress management. When sugar beet is stressed, it produces haem, which reduces photosynthetic efficiency. Klorofill helps reduce haem accumulation, keeping the leaves green, large, and functional, even under pressure.

"These trials prove that biologicals are not just environmentally beneficial, they're economically smart," concludes Andrew. "They strengthen plants from the inside out, helping farmers get more from every hectare while reducing reliance on synthetic inputs."

As farmers plan for the coming season, integrating biologicals into a crop health program offers a proven way to improve productivity, quality, and resilience in sugar beet production.