Field robotics offer new solutions for sugar beet weed control
Weed control remains one of the biggest challenges facing sugar beet growers, as the number of approved crop protection products continues to decline and labour costs rise across Europe. As a result, autonomous hoeing robots are attracting increasing interest as a practical alternative for both conventional and organic production systems.
The issue will be a major focus at the new SugarBeet Expo 2026, taking place on 9-10 September 2026 at Rittergut Gestorf near Hanover, Germany. Organised by the DLG, the open-air exhibition will run alongside PotatoEurope and will focus exclusively on sugar beet production technologies.
Alongside disease pressures such as cercospora and the SBR/Stolbur complex, growers are increasingly concerned about the cost and availability of labour for manual weeding, particularly in organic systems. Field robotics developers are responding with intelligent mechanical weeding systems capable of reducing labour requirements while maintaining crop safety and weed control performance.
Research carried out at the Kirschgartshausen experimental farm operated by Südzucker has highlighted the potential of autonomous hoeing technology. Two systems in particular have undergone extensive evaluation.
The FarmDroid FD20 combines GPS-guided sowing and hoeing specifically for sugar beet cultivation, while the GT system from Farming Revolution uses AI-driven cameras to distinguish crop plants from weeds and can reportedly operate across more than 100 crop types.
Trials conducted over three seasons under varying weed pressure showed both systems achieved weed control rates above 90%, while maintaining low crop losses. Researchers concluded that autonomous hoeing systems could significantly reduce the amount of manual labour required in organic sugar beet production.
SugarBeet Expo 2026 will feature live machinery demonstrations, workshops and technical presentations focused on future-oriented sugar beet production systems, including robotics, digitalisation and precision crop management.
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