For the third year in a row, NEO, together with Cosun Beet Company and Sensus, will monitor the course of the sugar beet and chicory season with satellite data. Using both optical and radar satellite images, NEO will try to identify different crop stages near real-time. On a daily basis, Cosun Beet Company and Sensus will receive information on the harvest status of their plots in the Netherlands and Belgium. With this, NEO supports the logistic processes of the sugar beet and chicory processing plants. The ultimate goal is to know near real-time where and when beet or chicory have been harvested and can be collected from a plot.
Besides monitoring the crop this year, we will also investigate whether yellowing disease can be detected on optical satellite data. The plot below unfortunately suffers from this nasty disease. If the area affected by yellowing disease can be accurately determined, this information can be used for yield estimates later in the season.
We will make it another successful and educational year with Cosun Beet Company and Sensus!