John Deere Unveils See & Spray Gen 2 for Precision Weed Control

John Deere is expanding its precision weed management capabilities through its See & Spray Gen 2 platform, building on its Select, Premium, and Ultimate optional upgrades. The newly kitted-out platform includes lighting features for continued application work during nighttime hours, increased operating speeds, and a centrally placed camera to reduce dust and enhance visuals, boosting productivity.

John Deere’s See and Spray technology helps target weeds within crops for precision spraying, using machine learning and computer vision. Image used courtesy of John Deere

Targeting Cost Reduction

Vice President of Category Management at Famer’s Business Network, John Appell, cautioned farmers about the challenges facing the crop protection market in 2026. Mr. Appell referenced information from the recent 2026 Crop Protection Market Outlook Report in an interview with Farm and Ranch Media, stating that while general input costs are set to rise, they will not rise uniformly. Input costs for products will vary depending on the active ingredients, namely their trade status and sourcing.

Important areas of the report include details on which products are set to face the highest tariffs, such as S-Metolachlor, Clethodim, and Dicamba. Farmers should be aware of the steep increase in the cost of herbicide 2,4-D in particular.

John Deere’s See and Spray Technology

As an example of the benefits of using John Deere’s See & Spray technology, the Premium upgrade enables users to reduce non-residual herbicide use and target in-season weeds with machine learning while maintaining a hit rate comparable to conventional broadcast spraying. Not only does this technology reduce herbicide use, but it also reduces tender stops, water use, and crop disturbance. Reduced herbicide use means reduced costs, and eradicating weeds means higher crop yields and greater profitability.

The soaring cost of herbicides and the need for more sustainable management of agricultural land have instigated the natural evolution of John Deere’s precision See & Spray technology. Image used courtesy of John Deere

Specific See & Spray Platform Upgrades

The latest See & Spray upgrade features full-boom illumination (to aid night applications), ExactApply or Individual Nozzle Control (INC) Pro systems, and single- or dual-tank configurations for greater versatility.

This upgrade helps farmers combat weed resistance by extending pinpoint application to a wider range of crops, including wheat, barley, and canola. Customized weed management plans are made possible by real-time weed identification and tailored treatments, intended to maximize input efficiency and increase profitability.

Growers can adjust application rates in response to real-time biomass detection using the new variable rate feature, thereby enhancing the use of fungicides, harvest aids, and plant development regulators.

Other specific upgrade elements include a centrally mounted front-facing camera, which helps prevent unwanted dust buildup and improves weed detection for consistent, targeted herbicide application. An increased operating speed of 16 mph improves efficiency in meeting a set crop quota on time.

Other Innovations for Model Year 2027

In addition to the See and Spray technology, John Deere has devised other innovative upgrades as part of its Model Year 2027 application portfolio. The ExactInject Direct Chemical Injection system is designed to reduce cleaning and changeover time between fields while enabling desired chemical mixing. Another portfolio enhancement is the John Deere Operations Center, which creates weed pressure maps and provides cost-saving insights and as-applied data both via mobile technology and the web.