John Deere’s input optimization technology, See & Spray, had a record year with the 2025 harvest – covering 5 million acres and saving farmers 31 gallons of herbicide mix thus far – as the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) explores the services benefit beyond managing weeds.
Released in 2021, John Deere See & Spray uses a combination of AI, machine learning, and boom-mounted cameras to precisely apply herbicides, and is available in Select, Premium, and Ultimate options for different machine configurations, Joshua Ladd, marketing manager for application at John Deere, told AgTechNavigator.
As a farmer makes passes in a field, See & Spray will precisely apply herbicides through John Deere’s ExactApply nozzle system once a weed is identified, the company shared in a press release.
Through John Deere’s Operation Center, See & Spray users can view where herbicides were applied with maps, and Ultimate and Premium users can use weed pressure maps, Ladd added.
The service is available either as a factory install or a Precision Upgrade kit for Deere’s row-crop tractors MY18 and newer R-series models, 400 and 600 series sprayers, and select new Deere and Hagie sprayers, the company added.
“With See & Spray, farmers can save on input costs, improve weed control, boost yields, and increase their sustainability – all in one pass. Our customers’ results for 2025 show that these benefits are real,” Ladd said in a press release.
See & Spray provides ‘multiple areas of impact throughout the season’
The technology not only helps growers save on crop input costs, but See & Spray is showing potential in improving yields, Ladd noted.
Third-party researchers and universities found that growers using See & Spray could yield two bushels more per acre, with some growers seeing as high as 4.8 bushels more per acre, John Deere stated.
Since herbicides are being applied precisely, plants do not have to expend as much energy, thus they can use that energy for growth, Ladd explained.
“When we think about the real impact and the ROI of the technology, not only are we helping to save on the upfront ─ as input costs rise and fall from year-to-year ─ but we are now also seeing ... a more significant harvest outcome and in that improved yield by using See & Spray compared to traditional broadcast applications. So, it is not just necessarily one specific area of impact. It is multiple areas of impact throughout the season,” Ladd elaborated.
Where does See & Spray go from here?
Looking to the 2026 harvest, John Deere is working to improve the See & Spray platform through new features and software updates, Ladd noted.
The OEM released three software updates in 2025 to bolster above-canopy spray support, expand corn row sizes to 20 inches or wider, and increase speeds up to 15 miles per hour for Premium users.
Additionally, the OEM is offering an Unlimited Annual License for See & Spray — ideal for larger operations — the company shared in a press release.
“The technology has to evolve. It has to continue to provide new value and improve over time to really deliver for our customers. And to that end, we put a big emphasis on software updates that we provide to our customers at no additional cost to help provide new value year in, year out,” Ladd elaborated.
John Deere customers are demanding more data to improve their farming operations, Ladd said.
“There is so much innovation and technology that is being leveraged day in, day out by our customers globally. They are always looking to use ... enhanced or deeper data to make the best decision for their operation — not only for today but also looking ahead to next year,” he added.
