How early can Croptimus detect powdery mildew?

Croptimus picks up the first sporulation patches when they're still under 5 mm, usually 3–5 days before a human scout sees them on a weekly walk.

Does Croptimus distinguish powdery mildew from spray residue?

Yes. The model is trained on labelled imagery from greenhouses that use sulphur and bicarbonate sprays, so spray patterns and pesticide residue are not confused with fungal growth.

Which crops does this model cover?

Tomato, cucumber, pepper, cannabis, and ornamentals. The model has been validated against P. xanthii and L. taurica strains across all five.

disease

Powdery mildew

Podosphaera xanthii · Leveillula taurica

White-grey fungal coating on upper leaf surfaces. Croptimus catches first sporulation patches days before they're visible to scouts.

Fungal
Foliar
Humidity-driven
Rapid spread

Powdery mildew sporulation on tomato leaf – Zabartek pilot, 2024

Signs Croptimus looks for

White-grey powdery patches on upper leaf surfaces
Chlorotic yellowing under heavy infection
Leaf curling on younger growth
Sporulation visible as dust when leaves are disturbed
Reduced photosynthetic area in colonised zones

Recommended action

Cut humidity below 80 % at canopy level, increase air movement, and apply targeted sulphur or bicarbonate sprays at first signal. Croptimus flags individual zones so treatment stays local – no blanket spraying.

Powdery mildew is the most common foliar disease in indoor production. Once visible to the naked eye, it has already established colonies under the leaf surface – and the spore release that follows can spread infection to 20× the original area within a week.

Croptimus monitors every plant in every zone continuously, so the first 5 mm sporulation patch on a single leaf triggers an alert before sporulation accelerates. That gap – from invisible to visible – is where most of the crop-loss reduction happens.

Frequently asked

How early can Croptimus detect powdery mildew?

Croptimus picks up the first sporulation patches when they're still under 5 mm, usually 3–5 days before a human scout sees them on a weekly walk.
Does Croptimus distinguish powdery mildew from spray residue?

Yes. The model is trained on labelled imagery from greenhouses that use sulphur and bicarbonate sprays, so spray patterns and pesticide residue are not confused with fungal growth.
Which crops does this model cover?

Tomato, cucumber, pepper, cannabis, and ornamentals. The model has been validated against P. xanthii and L. taurica strains across all five.

See Croptimus catch this live.

20-minute call. We run this exact class on a frame from your crop, send detections back within the week.

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