LDS SURVIVORS
Thistles and hedge bindweed are species that LDS structurally fails to control adequately and that form patches in the field.
5 tot 8%
higher yield
Less crop stress thanks to targeted spraying
Up to 95%
less crop protection product
86% on average across our fields in 2025
1 to 2 days
from flight to task map
Task map ready within 24 to 48 hours
Crop info
What do you do with the weeds LDS doesn't catch?
LDS does its job on germinating weeds at the cotyledon stage, but every season some weeds survive the system: thistles, hedge bindweed and potato volunteers are the ones that most often persist stubbornly between the rows. Left untreated, they compete directly with the beet for light, water and nutrients, and cost yield. Croptic detects those survivors from the drone and delivers weed map(s) that let you correct precisely: only spray where it is really needed.
POTATO VOLUNTEERS
Potato volunteers from the previous cropping year shoot up quickly between the beets and are hard to control with LDS. The plants compete with the beet and are a source of diseases such as Phytophthora.
SEASONAL CALENDAR
When does the drone fly for the corrective spray?
The optimal flight window for correcting LDS survivors runs from early May to late June, after a few LDS applications. When thistles, hedge bindweed and potato volunteers grow too big for LDS, but before you can no longer control them.
Season calendar
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
Sowing period
Emergence
Weed pressure starts
Drone window
Canopy closure
Harvest
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Sowing period
Optimal soil temperature ≥5°C
Emergence
5 to 10 days after sowing in favourable weather
Weed pressure starts
LDS: 3 to 5 applications, cotyledon stage
Drone window
Optimal detection period for drone analysis
Canopy closure
8 to 10-leaf stage beet, when the leaves touch within the row
Harvest
Campaign Sep to Dec
How does the Croptic correction on LDS survivors work?
Step 01
Drone flies over the field
We or one of our partners fly a drone over your field as soon as the LDS survivors are visible. The camera captures every detail in high resolution.
Step 02
AI detects the survivors
Our AI analyses the imagery and distinguishes thistles, hedge bindweed and potato volunteers from the beets and from each other. That way you decide which survivors go into the weed map.
Step 03
You drive the corrective spray
You load the weed map into your GPS sprayer with section control. Nozzles open and close automatically over the weeds. You only treat where needed, and the rest of the field stays untouched.
REGIONS
Timing differs by region, Croptic adapts.
FLANDERS
Sowing
15 Mar to 10 Apr
Drone window
1 May to 30 Jun
Weed peak
1 May to 30 Jun
Harvest
from 20 Sep
NL-NOORD
Sowing
25 Mar to 20 Apr (clay soil)
Drone window
10 May to 10 Jul (1 to 2w later)
Weed peak
10 May to 10 Jul
Harvest
from 1 Oct
NL-ZUID
Sowing
15 Mar to 15 Apr
Drone window
1 May to 5 Jul
Weed peak
10 May to 5 Jul
Harvest
from 20 Sep
EXTRA VALUE
Target potato volunteers, thistles and hedge bindweed precisely.
Potato volunteers, thistles and hedge bindweed are the three most important weeds that LDS in sugar beet structurally fails to control or controls insufficiently. Croptic detects every plant or patch and turns them into a weed map, so you can tackle the survivors with a corrective spray. Without treating the whole field again, and with minimal impact on yield.
Splitting off uncontrollable weeds is also possible.
Frequently asked questions about Croptic in sugar beet
Ready to target the LDS survivors precisely?
Spray less. Know more.