Spraying
• In Sugar Beet cultivation, crop protection is of paramount importance. Diseases, insects, and weeds are serious competitors for crop, and spraying is needed on a regular basis.
• Weed control is carried out both with pre-sowing, pre-emergence and post emergence (on-top spraying). Weeds and/or pest can damage the yield up to the 100%, if not controlled or controlled too late.
• For example, research in the United States (North Dakota State University) has shown that if Redroot Pigweed is allowed to achieve a density of three plants per meter in a single row, 44% Sugar Beet yield loss is possible.
• Sugar Beet is a low height crop and many weeds can grow taller than Sugar Beet. Because weeds can become taller than the crop, Sugar Beet is more susceptible to yield losses due to weed competition compared to other high-canopy crops.
• Insect pests (root maggot, flea beetles, cutworm) and fungi diseases (Cercospora, leaf spot) are major concerns in Sugar Beet production.
• The high cost of applications and the higher volume of application required for Sugar Beet cultivation makes accurate chemical applications a necessity.
• Adjustments of pressure and volume are required depending on what the target is (weeds, fungi, insects).
• Drift control is another important factor to avoid damaging surrounding environment and crops.