UNL 2025 field trials show dual-line precision spraying delivers superior weed control, higher yields, and stronger agronomic performance compared to single-line systems.
As AI-driven precision application gains rapid adoption, it is reshaping modern crop production by enabling plant-by-plant weed control rather than fieldlevel treatment. This shift allows growers to significantly reduce unnecessary spray volumes, improve targeting accuracy, minimize drift and crop stress, and ultimately protect yield potential.
In the 2025 season, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) conducted replicated field trials to evaluate two fundamentally different approaches to AI-driven precision spraying. The findings highlight a clear agronomic advantage for systems that preserve bestpractice herbicide programs while delivering the efficiency of AI vision technology.
Two Approaches to Precision Spraying
UNL compared the performance of two sprayer configurations now emerging in the market:
1. Dual-Line System
A dual-line sprayer uses two independent plumbing lines to enable both:
This structure preserves industry-recommended agronomic practices while enabling substantial reductions in post-emergence non-residual herbicide use.
2. Single-Line System
A single-line sprayer maintains the standard “one tank + one line” architecture. It cannot separate residuals from non-residuals. In practice, this forces growers to choose between:
Both approaches compromise weed control consistency and increase the risk of yield loss—especially in fields under heavy pressure from difficult-to-control species.
Trial Design and Chemical Program
Replicated field trials were conducted in corn and soybean at the South Central Ag Lab near Clay Center, Nebraska. Dominant weed species included Palmer amaranth and Green foxtail, two of the most economically damaging weeds across the U.S. Corn Belt.
UNL compared three two-pass herbicide strategies*:
Residual in PRE & POST
Residual in PRE only
No residual at all
(*All treatments included AI-driven post-emergence application where applicable.)
Key Findings (30 Days After Application)
Corn
Soybean
Across both crops, programs lacking POST residuals produced weaker weed control and measurable yield loss, highlighting the value of maintaining a complete herbicide system—even with AI-driven spot spraying.
The Takeaway: Precision Spraying Must Support, Not Replace, Sound Agronomy
UNL’s 2025 findings reinforce a clear conclusion:
A dual-line precision spraying system is the most agronomically sound approach.
It is the only configuration that allows growers to:
Why it matters:
Residual herbicides remain foundational to sustainable weed management. AI vision systems cannot replace the consistency and multi-week protection that residuals provide—but they can reduce reliance on non-residual POST products when deployed correctly.
An Additional Advantage: Reduced Crop Stress
Dual-line platforms offer another benefit:
Because residuals are broadcast and non-residual POST products are applied only where weeds are present, the crop canopy is exposed to fewer post-emergence herbicides overall.
This can reduce the frequency and severity of crop response under certain environmental conditions, helping protect early-season vigor and yield trajectory.
Conclusion
AI-driven precision spraying has the potential to transform weed control, reduce input costs, and support more sustainable production systems. But to fully realize these benefits, the technology must be integrated in a way that preserves fundamental agronomic principles—especially the use of residual herbicides in both PRE and POST applications.
The 2025 UNL trials make one point unmistakably clear:
Dual-line precision spraying delivers the best combination of efficiency, flexibility, and agronomic performance.
It allows growers to embrace the future of plant-by-plant management without sacrificing the proven foundations that ensure long-term weed control success and yield protection.
Herbicides used for study
The herbicides used in the three two-pass program structures were as follows:
Residual in PRE & POST
Residual in PRE only
No residual
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