New generation
PUMA IV on the
hunt for sugarbeet
Flexible, tailored to our needs and equipped with powerful technology: The latest generation of our self-propelled harvester PUMA is now out and about in the fields.
PUMA IV was difficult to implement because it isn’t a ready-made kit.
The sugar content is analyzed directly in the harvester. Two processing modes are available for that.
Want to see a real PUMA? You can often sight one in the sugarbeet fields around Einbeck in the fall. However, we’re not talking about a big cat, but a mobile lab. PUMA IV (Plot Harvest Unit with Measurement Acquisition) is not just an ordinary beet lifter from Grimme, but has been converted into an automated laboratory thanks to a joint effort between colleagues from Technology, Research, Breeding, our in-house workshop and external partners.
“The new PUMA model posed a special challenge. Compared to its predecessors, we not only had to work with a different base model from Grimme, but also implement new wishes from Breeding,” explains Lukas Leese, Manager Technical Innovation and Support. He’s the one who pulls all the strings in the project. Our workshop is then involved in technical implementation. “This isn’t a ready-made kit that I just have to assemble according to the instructions,” says Lukas. “No matter how well you plan ahead, in the end you always have to reckon with unforeseen factors – especially when, as in the current PUMA IV, there’s a lot of technology on board.”
“We’ve implemented new wishes from Breeding.”
Lukas Leese
But where exactly is the heart of PUMA IV? It has two processing modes inside it: The harvested and pre-cleaned sugarbeet are always analyzed using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) (you can read more about the method in insideKWS 01/24) and, if necessary, pulp is also extracted. This small pulp sample is later used for wet chemical analysis in the laboratory. Both methods are used to determine various parameters, such as the sugar content in a sugarbeet plot. That saves a considerable amount of time, as in future only one harvester will be needed to work the field and then, as desired, a decision can be made as to whether, for example, the saw is used or not – whereas several machines were always required for this previously.
PUMA is an important tool for our breeding in the field, because the data it collects forms the basis for the subsequent selection of suitable genetics. Testing and analyzing potential varieties under real conditions are important steps on the path to obtaining a new KWS variety.
PUMA IV is scheduled to move to Roye in France in the long term. “However, there are still bureaucratic hurdles to overcome before that,” says Lukas. For instance, the diesel tank needs a country-specific certificate. Until then, with a little luck, you can still observe the “tamed” PUMA IV in the wild around Einbeck. |
© KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA 2025
