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Newswise — A research team employed an RGB camera on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to collect time series data on sugar beet canopy coverage and height. This data was used to predict root weight and sugar content with high accuracy. This innovative technique enhances breeder decision-making by providing pre-harvest selection criteria, reducing manual measurement needs.

The UAV-based approach can also guide precision fertilization in production fields, demonstrating its value in improving agricultural efficiency and crop yield predictions. Sugar beet ( Beta vulgaris L.) is a vital crop for sugar production, yet its cultivation area has declined despite increased yields.



Current research leverages heterosis to enhance sugar beet productivity, but traditional breeding methods are labor-intensive and inefficient. Although high-throughput UAV phenotyping demonstrated potential promise in other crops, it hasn't been fully explored for sugar beet yield and sugar content prediction. A study (DOI: 10.

34133/plantphenomics.0209) published in Plant Phenomics on 11 Jun 2024, aims to develop a high-throughput UAV method to accurately predict sugar beet root weight and sugar content, improving breeding efficiency and cultivar development. The research employed UAV-based high-throughput phenotyping to assess yield and foliar growth in sugar beet breeding fields.

Over three seasons, canopy coverage (CC) and canopy height (CH) were monitored and analyzed. In 2018, favorable conditions led.

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