Soybean Sprayer Application Study - See & Spray™ Premium vs. Ultimate

The Story: The "Why" Beck's Tested This With herbicide costs on the rise and new sprayer technology emerging, Beck's wanted to put John Deere's See & Spray™ systems to the test. This ongoing, multi-year study across various locations helps them understand the real-world impact of targeted spraying on your bottom line, examining both herbicide savings and overall profitability in soybeans.

Key Observations Significant Herbicide Savings: Both See & Spray™ Premium and Ultimate delivered substantial herbicide savings compared to a standard broadcast program, with Premium averaging $23.04/A over two years.

Positive Yield Response: Beck's observed slight yield increases with both See & Spray™ systems, likely due to reduced herbicide stress on the soybean plants. Premium averaged +2.6 bu/A in 2025.

Strong Return on Investment: See & Spray™ Premium consistently showed a higher return on investment, averaging $55.99/A over two years. Ultimate also provided a positive ROI, averaging $42.90/A.

Weed Pressure Matters: In fields with moderate to high weed pressure, herbicide savings were somewhat lower than in lighter pressure scenarios, as expected, since more acres needed to be sprayed. 2025 Results 2-Year Multi-Location See & Spray Herbicide Savings & ROI (Compared to Broadcast) Multi-Year Performance Consistency Beck's 2-year multi-location data reinforces the benefits Beck's saw in 2025. Both See & Spray™ systems consistently delivered positive returns and herbicide savings, with the Premium system generally showing a greater advantage in profitability. FAQs Q: What is the main structural difference between See & Spray™ Premium and Ultimate? A: John Deere’s See & Spray™ Ultimate system features a factory-integrated setup equipped with a dual-tank configuration and a specialized carbon fiber boom, allowing simultaneous broadcast residual and targeted contact applications. See & Spray™ Premium offers a targeted precision upgrade on compatible existing sprayers. Q: How does targeted spraying impact crop yield compared to traditional broadcast spraying? A: In 2025 PFR testing, See & Spray™ Premium increased yield by +2.6 Bu./A. and Ultimate by +1.4 Bu./A. over standard broadcast applications. By spraying only target weeds rather than broadcasting contact herbicides over the entire crop canopy, overall plant stress is reduced, allowing the crop to convert energy directly into yield. Q: How does high weed pressure affect targeted herbicide savings? A: Higher weed pressure requires the system's vision sensors to trigger more frequently, increasing the total percentage of acres sprayed. In fields with moderate to high weed pressure (such as Lewistown, IL), herbicide savings per acre were lower compared to fields with lighter weed pressure, though both systems maintained a overall positive ROI. Q: Is the $5.00/A. technology fee accounted for in these ROI calculations? A: Yes. All See & Spray™ financial calculations in this study factor in herbicide costs across all sprayed acres plus the $5.00/A. technology fee applied to non-sprayed acres.