News & novelties 08/03/2023
One of the biggest obstacles sugar beet cultivation encounters is the infestations of weeds. We conducted a field trial aimed to assess the effectiveness of the ARA ultra-high precision sprayer in managing weed growth and reducing phytotoxicity in sugar beet crops.
Three different procedures were utilized. The first approach entailed leaving the sugar beets untreated, allowing weeds to grow freely. The second, applying herbicides using a broadcast sprayer. Lastly, employing our ARA to precisely target and spray the weeds.
After a growth period of 10 weeks, it was concluded that ARA could successfully eliminate weeds and greatly reduce herbicide consumption by around 85% (compared to conventional broadcast spraying methods).
The untreated sugar beets exhibited satisfactory growth initially, but the excessive weed presence would have eventually overtaken and suppressed the crop. The utilization of ARA on sugar beets proved advantageous, leading to an almost twofold increase in crop biomass compared to broadcast spraying. This outcome strongly suggests the effectiveness of ARA's sugar beet algorithm in preserving the health and abundance of crops by mitigating phytotoxicity.
These results not only show potential economic advantages for farmers by enhancing crop yield through phytotoxicity suppression but also support the adoption of environmentally sustainable approaches.
Note: It's important to note that the results mentioned may not be representative of all situations and conditions. Local factors such as soil health, field history, herbicide choice, and growing conditions can influence the effectiveness of ARA. To further validate ARA’s capability, additional studies are currently underway, and results will be published later this year.
At Ecorobotix, we are dedicated to delivering cutting-edge precision spraying technology that empowers farmers to significantly reduce herbicide usage. Data from nearly 3,000 missions in onion fields using our ARA ultra-high precision sprayer reveals impressive results, with nearly 70% of all missions achieving herbicide savings of 80%, and some missions saving as much as 98%.
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Noud van Gog, a farmer and contractor based in Liessel, Netherlands, manages a substantial area of chicory and sugar beets, covering 580 hectares and 710 hectares, respectively. Dedicated to keeping his fields clean from weeds, he employs a strategic mix of mechanical weeding and spraying with Ecorobotix’s ARA precision sprayer, aiming to minimize chemical usage while maximizing crop health and yield.
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Spray drift is a major concern for farmers and governments alike, as it wastes resources and harms neighboring crops, ecosystems, and public health. Strict regulations have emerged to address this, and innovations in spray technology are key to compliance.
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